Favorite foods with a Cali Viognier?

Hi all,

I will be tasting my first Viognier soon and I was wondering what everyone likes to pair it with foodwise. It's a California Viognier (I also have a bottle of Australia Viognier as well.) Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

It's a very tough food match in my experience, Maria -- best as an aperitif, generally speaking.

California Viognier worked well with smoked salmon, especially a heavily smoked version where its intense aroma has a little competition -- I wouldn't try it with delicate gravlax I make, for example.

Robin posted note some time ago about a vegetarian risotto where Viognier worked well -- I've tried it with a complex vegetable stew where its strong aroma and distinctive taste can be an interesting contrast.

Tough food match, though.

Hi all,

I will be tasting my first Viognier soon and I was wondering what everyone likes to pair it with foodwise. It's a California Viognier (I also have a bottle of Australia Viognier as well.) Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Howdy, Maria!

Just which California Viognier is it? I tend to drink Viognier on its lonesome ... as a sipper ... and really do love it. It's my go-to white instead of Chardonnay or when a Riesling or a Sauvignon Blanc just won't work.

I find aged cow milk cheeses (nothing with mold, though), asparagus dishes, figs, dates, pasta in a white sauce or an olive oil condiment (aglio olio) especially with veggies seem to go with my Viogniers.

Maybe a light spaghetti aglio olio tossed with asparagus and/or artichoke hearts and covered in some nice parmigiano might be a good synthesis of the above.

Hi all,

I will be tasting my first Viognier soon and I was wondering what everyone likes to pair it with foodwise. It's a California Viognier (I also have a bottle of Australia Viognier as well.) Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

I would take a quick look at the alcohol listed on the label. Some are quite high and the higher they are, the better they go with spicey-hot food.
Best, Jim

I think of Viognier as a luncheon wine. Maybe a spinach salad with a tart sweet-sour dressing (not normally a good match for a wine). Or a ham and cheese omelet.

I would take a quick look at the alcohol listed on the label. Some are quite high and the higher they are, the better they go with spicey-hot food.

Jim, isn't it quite the opposite? Low alcohol is better with hot food as it doesn't accentuate the heat? Or was this comment a joke? Or is there some special property with Cali Viognier, so that I misunderstood?

-O-

Thanks everyone!

Gary - It's the Rosenblum Cellars Viognier Kathy's Cuvee Santa Barbara.

I actually just got some aged cow's milk cheese and some figs today!

Anyway, As Florida Jim recommended, I looked at the alcohol content and sheesh 14.8%! Ugghhh...so I will probably drink this as an aperitiff, and maybe with some of the cheese. The Australian one is 14.5%, so not too different. I guess I should have sought out some French Viognier instead...their Viognier seems to generally stay around 13%. It never occurred to me that this would be a high alcohol wine...I guess I was thinking of it more along the lines of Riesling.

Anyway, thanks again everyone for all of your help!

I would take a quick look at the alcohol listed on the label. Some are quite high and the higher they are, the better they go with spicey-hot food.

Jim, isn't it quite the opposite? Low alcohol is better with hot food as it doesn't accentuate the heat? Or was this comment a joke? Or is there some special property with Cali Viognier, so that I misunderstood?

-O-

Otto,
I think viognier is the exception to the rule, or at least CA style viognier. The bigger the alcohol, the riper the fruit and the sweeter the wine - spice against sweet usually works. But viognier at 14.8 is also going to be very fleshy and, as long as its not too old, should coat the mouth.
Lastly, its flavors, especially at high alcohols, can be very tropical - another reasonable match for heat.
Or such is my opinion.
Best, Jim

Ok,

I tasted the wine with several things you all suggested...On it's own, with a Chimay cheese, figs, tomatoes, roasted chicken, chicken curry, and chinese food. Unfortunately, I really struggled with this wine, just way too much alcohol for me to enjoy. It was definitely best with the cheese, but even then, I kept thinking I was drinking a sweet martini with each sip. It was slightly better the second day. I am not giving up on Viognier though, maybe try and French version. I may just make the bottle of Australian viognier into a white sangria or use it for a pork stew.

I bought this particular Viognier because it had decent ratings. As I taste more wine though, I have to say I am finding that the I generally don't enjoy the higher rated ones. They seem so sweet, oaky, or alcoholic. It's crazy because a year ago, I probably would have thought this wine was terrific...LOL! And I love Sherry, which had just slightly more alcohol than this wine, but the sherry is always so dry and balanced...I never feel like I am drinking something hot. Strange huh?

I bought this particular Viognier because it had decent ratings. As I taste more wine though, I have to say I am finding that the I generally don't enjoy the higher rated ones. They seem so sweet, oaky, or alcoholic. It's crazy because a year ago, I probably would have thought this wine was terrific...LOL! And I love Sherry, which had just slightly more alcohol than this wine, but the sherry is always so dry and balanced...I never feel like I am drinking something hot. Strange huh?

Nothing strange about it.
For myself, I do not read ratings any more and haven't for several years. I really don't want any preconceptions when I taste wine.
And you're right about alcohol; it has its place (in sherry and port) but in table wine that's supposed to accompany your dinner, it can be a problem more often than not.
And I'd venture to say we are not alone thinking like this.
Best, Jim

Agree with some of the recommendations above. Asparagus is hard to match with wine so is a win-win situation in this case. Try salmon and asparagus both napped with Hollandaise, with a baguette on the side.

Maria, my experiences with many of the California Viognier's I've tried agree with yours: borderline sticky so that it's hard to imagine a good food match. If after the Rosenblum you're up for trying another one, though, you might keep an eye out for Cline's 2006 version (not the Carneros-designated one but the 2006 California Viognier). It's a notch below the Rosenblum in the alcohol department but still no lightweight at 14.0% - but I don't think you'd ever guess it was that high. It still has that characteristic viognier peach/apricot and a nice floral quality but also a trace of minerality and no detectable oak (I doubt it saw any). Nice and crisp, well balanced. As experiments go, it's a cheap one, too - retails for about $12 (I think) but I've seen it discounted under $10.

I think viognier is the exception to the rule, or at least CA style viognier. The bigger the alcohol, the riper the fruit and the sweeter the wine - spice against sweet usually works. But viognier at 14.8 is also going to be very fleshy and, as long as its not too old, should coat the mouth.
Lastly, its flavors, especially at high alcohols, can be very tropical - another reasonable match for heat.
Or such is my opinion.
Best, Jim

That's an interesting explanation - one I would some day like to try out. Do you also like Gewurz with spicier foods? As that can also be a plump, slightly sweet-tasting, fleshy and mouth coating, would it also go with your paradigm?

-O-

I think viognier is the exception to the rule, or at least CA style viognier. The bigger the alcohol, the riper the fruit and the sweeter the wine - spice against sweet usually works. But viognier at 14.8 is also going to be very fleshy and, as long as its not too old, should coat the mouth.
Lastly, its flavors, especially at high alcohols, can be very tropical - another reasonable match for heat.
Or such is my opinion.
Best, Jim

That's an interesting explanation - one I would some day like to try out. Do you also like Gewurz with spicier foods? As that can also be a plump, slightly sweet-tasting, fleshy and mouth coating, would it also go with your paradigm?

-O-

Otto,
I am not a fan of gewertz. but I suppose it would make a certain amount of sense - I just don't have any experience there.
Best, Jim

Maria,

If you want to experiment with Viognier see if you can find the 2006 Punta Pays (a label of Bodega Don Cristobal) from Mendoza (Argentina). A very crisp, riesling like version, nice aromatics and no oak. Still 13%, but not really showing it the way some California versions do. Not super profound, but the best part is that it sells for around $5 a bottle here in NJ.

Ok,

I tasted the wine with several things you all suggested...On it's own, with a Chimay cheese, figs, tomatoes, roasted chicken, chicken curry, and chinese food. Unfortunately, I really struggled with this wine, just way too much alcohol for me to enjoy. It was definitely best with the cheese, but even then, I kept thinking I was drinking a sweet martini with each sip. It was slightly better the second day. I am not giving up on Viognier though, maybe try and French version. I may just make the bottle of Australian viognier into a white sangria or use it for a pork stew.

I bought this particular Viognier because it had decent ratings. As I taste more wine though, I have to say I am finding that the I generally don't enjoy the higher rated ones. They seem so sweet, oaky, or alcoholic. It's crazy because a year ago, I probably would have thought this wine was terrific...LOL! And I love Sherry, which had just slightly more alcohol than this wine, but the sherry is always so dry and balanced...I never feel like I am drinking something hot. Strange huh?

If you were drinking the Rosenblum (I think I remember that's what you were going to try), it IS too sweet. And to my mind, not a good representation of what CA Viognier can be.. or should be.

I drink a lot of Viognier.. a lot... and always with food (I have never had it just with cheese)... I think there are quite a few good ones that are not at all sweet.. but not at all sure how easy they are to get...

Alban
Banyan
Cedarville
Cold Heaven
Curtis
McPrice Myers
Miner Family

I have had all of these, and none has any RS.. all completely dry. I also sometime drink Pride, but these can be oaky young.

Oh, the Yalumba Y from Australia is also good.. and for a blend, try the Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc-Viognier.. both of these are great bargains... and I think are pretty widely available

Bullets?

My vote is with Gary B. I judge a wine by itself. If it goes good with food then it's a real plus. As for Viognier try Nine Gables from Amador County, CA. Ohhhh so good A bit pricey if you're drinking daily, think I paid $14 or 16 a bottle. I'm not a big white wine fan, but this one is so tasty.

Although a little pricey, I enjoyed Trefethan.

Another one I enjoyed, even though it is still, pretty tropical and rich, is Saddleback Cellars.

Bullets?

Ahem. For the record, I am generally opposed to Cali Viognier. BUT, I do think that Calera does a lovely job of a more delicate and restrained style. The better CA Viogniers seem to carry a price tag as hefty as those from the Rhone though. Why not go authentic Condrieu?

[quote="Bill Hooper"]
Ahem. For the record, I am generally opposed to Cali Viognier. BUT, I do think that Calera does a lovely job of a more delicate and restrained style. The better CA Viogniers seem to carry a price tag as hefty as those from the Rhone though. Why not go authentic Condrieu?[/quote]

Where the prices are even higher???

Ahem. For the record, I am generally opposed to Cali Viognier. BUT, I do think that Calera does a lovely job of a more delicate and restrained style.

Bill,

Fess Parker does a nice Viognier as well. Similar to the Calera in my opinion.

Ahem. For the record, I am generally opposed to Cali Viognier. BUT, I do think that Calera does a lovely job of a more delicate and restrained style. The better CA Viogniers seem to carry a price tag as hefty as those from the Rhone though. Why not go authentic Condrieu?[/quote]

Where the prices are even higher???

When the BMW costs ten or twenty dollars more than the Ford, I'm going BMW.

I've had enough Condrieu that weren't to my taste than is the case for CA or Austrialian Viognier....of course, one might resort to the argument that those aren't `really' Viognier...but......and again, the price I have paid on average for Condrieu has been higher....

But I am reading a wonderful book, Wines of the Northern Rhone, and the section on Condrieu and the surrounding area has me intrigued and looking for some such wines I have not yet tried...so.. the jury is out for me....