VIOGNIER. There’s a certain sexiness associated with this aromatic white grape, used to make some of the famous white wines of Condrieu in the northern Rhône, southern France, and planted elsewhere including Italy, Australia, New Zealand, California as well as South Africa. The variety is somewhat controversial, too. The origin is uncertain, with Croatia getting the credit according to some. It’s not the easiest name to pronounce: Vee-oh-nyay or Vee-yon-yay, rather than Vee-og-neer or Voy-nei. And the styles range from strongly perfumed to lightly spiced. Challenging to review and score, to be sure.

In the Cape, as in the Rhône and elsewhere among the wine-producing nations, Viognier is often blended with Shiraz and other varieties in red wines whose labels might well have no reference at all to the white component. And when it does stand on its own as a single-varietal white wine, many if not most of the leading examples tend to come from outside Stellenbosch. The top SA Viogniers over the past 10 years include Eagles’ Nest of Constantia, Lourensford Limited Release from Somerset West, Saronsberg of Tulbagh, Ridgeback from Paarl and, more recently, Alvi’s Drift of Scherpenheuwel outside Worcester, and Idiom of Sir Lowry’s Pass outside Somerset West.

It was Alvi’s who triumphed in the 2022 Viognier Challenge with their 2021 vintage, expected to be released in April/May of this year at just R70pb ex-cellar. According to the back label: “Packed with apricots and peaches with a hint of cashew nuts… Viscous and full-flavoured yet elegant and aromatic. Ideal for all occasions where a red wine would work, but you really want to drink white. Serve at 4–8°C. 13.5% Vol.”

Contributing ‘A word on Cape viognier’ for the Wine Wizard earlier in the year, SA scribe Malu Lambert recommended Arra (Stellenbosch), Dunstone (Wellington), Koueberg (Gansbaai), The Foundry (Voor-Paardeberg, Paarl) and Fairview (Suid-Agter Paarl). It would seem that none of these were among the 17 wines assessed during the Viognier Challenge, where the panel of judges included wine writer Samarie Smith (chair), Colin Frith CWM and Anton Swarts CWM of Spier. The same goes for most of the 18 top-rated Viogniers in the 2022 edition of Platter’s SA Wine Guide.

So plenty to discover and explore in a category that some would argue is no longer niche.