Abruzzo's is excited to offer Vintners Reserve Viognier 10L Wine Kit at a great rock bottom price. We offer a very complete list of beer and wine making supplies and equipment. Only a mile from LD Carlson the largest wholesaler of wine and beer making supplies in the United States, we have the freshest ingredients, lowest prices and excellent service. Our knowledgeable brewers are ready to answer any question you can brew up about Vintners Reserve Viognier 10L Wine Kit or anything else you might need to know.
Vintners Reserve Viognier 10L Wine Kit
Viognier (vee-ohn-yay) is a white wine grape. It is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhone valley.[2]
History
The origin of the Viognier grape is unknown. Most experts agree that Viognier is an ancient grape that may have originated in Dalmatia and was brought to Rhône by the Romans.[3] One legend states that the Roman emperor Probus brought the vine to the region in 281 AD. Another legend has the grape packaged with Syrah on a cargo ship navigating the Rhone River en route to Beaujolais when it was captured near the site of present day Condrieu by a local group of outlaws known as culs de piaux.[4]
The origin of the name Viognier is also obscure. The most common namesake is the French city of Vienne, which was a major Roman outpost. Another legend has it drawing its name from the Roman pronunciation of the via Gehennae, meaning the "road to Hell". Probably this is an allusion to the difficulty of growing the grape.[4]
Viognier was once fairly common. Now it is a rare white grape grown almost exclusively in the northern Rhône regions of France. In 1965, the grape was almost extinct when there were only eight acres in Northern Rhône producing only 1 900 liters of wine. The popularity and price of the wine have risen and thus the number of plantings has increased. Rhône now has over 740 acres (3.0 km2) planted.[3]
In 2004, DNA profiling conducted at University of California, Davis showed the grape to be closely related to the Piedmont grape Freisa and to be a genetic cousin of Nebbiolo.[2]
Viticulture
Viognier can be a difficult grape to grow because it is prone to powdery mildew. It has low and unpredictable yields and should be picked only when fully ripe. When picked too early, the grape fails to develop the full extent of its aromas and tastes. When picked too late, the grape produces wine that is oily and lacks perfume. Winemakers in the Condrieu often pick the grapes with a level of sugar that will produce wine with alcohol in the 13% range.[5] When fully ripe the grapes have a deep yellow color and produce wine with a strong perfume and high in alcohol .[2] The grape prefers warmer environments and a long growing season, but can grow in cooler areas as well.
In France, the Mistral has a distinct effect on the Viognier vineyards in the Northern Rhone. The wind tempers the Mediterranean climate of the region, and cools the vines down after the severe heat of summer.[5]
Wine expert Remington Norman has identified two distinct strains of Viognier — an "Old World" strain, most common in Condrieu, and a "New World" strain, which is found in the Languedoc and other areas. Although made from the same grape, the two strains produce distinctly different wines.[4]
The age of the vine also has an effect on the quality of the wine produced. Viognier vines start to hit their peak after 15-20 years. In the Rhone, there are vines at least 70 years old.[6] is offered at the lowest possible living profit. We carry a complete line of wine and beer making supplies for your convenience. Order today and save!
This product was added to our catalog on Tuesday 13 January, 2009.
