Viognier (pronounced vee-own-yay) is a vibrant aromatic white wine originating in the Northern Rhône and rapidly gaining popularity in California, Australia, and beyond. Wines are often aged in oak to deliver Chardonnay-like richness.
Viognier is the sixth most planted white grape in British Columbia, with only 235 acres planted. This represents only 4.5% of the total BC white wine grape crop. However, more Viognier is being grown yearly, and the acreage grew by 42% between 2008 and 20221.
Here are some excellent BC Viognier wines for your tasting enjoyment.
Church & State Viognier 2019 ($27.60)
Hand Harvested and directly pressed in whole bunches. Fermentation in barrels for 3 weeks. Aged for 8 months in French oak barrels.
Alcohol 13.4% |TA 4.1 g/L | RS 8 g/L
A beautiful light straw-coloured wine. The Viognier burst forth with a floral aroma of jasmine, lychee and sweet grass. The wine has a light buttery mouthfeel with flavours of apricot, nectarine, honeydew melon and lemon. 91 Points
Lariana Viognier 2020 (Sold Out)
The fruit is sourced from the Red Brick vineyard (east side of Osoyoos Lake) and the estate vineyard Shady Lagoon. 75% of the fermentation and aging happens in concrete with the remainder split between one French oak barrel and stainless.
Alcohol 14.4% | pH: 3.49 | TA: 6.0 | RS: 1.0 g/L
Upon the first few swirls, whiffs of tangerine, honeysuckle and soft fruits waft out of the glass. The juicy core is further enhanced by lemony shortbread and honeyed peach cream with a dusting of ginger. Weighty, without being rich and fat, persists to the finish. 92 Points
Paired with curry chicken thighs and Moroccan-spiced blood orange couscous.
Bottega Viognier 2016
The Viognier grapes grew on a hot gravel bed in Osoyoos. They were planted East to West, in well-drained soil, so they had a nice lake view! The vines were spur pruned and cropped to yield only 3 tons per acre. The grapes were hand-harvested on September 15, 2016, at 22 Brix when Daniel tasted the first flavour burst in the berries. The grapes were pressed as whole clusters to preserve the acidity and retain the mouthfeel. Then inoculated with cultured yeast and cool-fermented in stainless steel tanks. The fermentation temperature was gradually increased to 18 °C. The juice vigorously aerated to promote the formation of complex aromatics. The wine is finished with sur-lee ageing and weekly Bâtonnage for six months. Production was 200 cases.
Alcohol 13.0 % | pH 3.20 |TA 6.8 g/l | RS 4.0 g/l
This is a light to medium-bodied Viognier. The wine has a light floral aroma, make sure the wine isn’t overly chilled if you drink during the winter. On the palate, the fruit-forward wine displays a multitude of flavours – stone fruits, peach, pear and also kiwi, mandarin orange and hazelnut with a creamy finish. Well balanced with good acidity and a refreshingly light touch of bitterness. An ideal patio wine for the summer. 91 Points
Horseshoe Found Viognier 2020 ($25 including taxes)
This Viognier was harvested from a single vineyard in the Similkameen Valley on October 1, 2020, with Brix 24.0. The wine was cold soaked for 24 hours prior to fermentation, then barrel aged in French oak for 4 months.
Alcohol 14% / pH 3.45 / TA 6.5 / RS 3.6
A light straw-coloured wine. The Viognier opens with aromas of peach and floral notes. The wine has a light oily mouthfeel with bright acidity and flavours of ripe peach, apricot, nectarine, and citrus with a lovely long finish. 92 Points
The Viognier paired perfectly with cold Borsch a winning combination we first discovered at a Montreal Russian restaurant many years ago.
Township 7 Benchmark Series Viognier 2021 ($30.97)
The 100% Viognier is from Fool’s Gold Vineyard in Oliver. The warm sites allow for full ripeness of this Rhone variety which enhances the fruit-forward aromatics and palate.
The Viognier was fermented in a stainless steel tank and 2 barrels to add texture to the palate. It was fermented between 16-18oC to allow for some roundness to be incorporated into the finished wine.
13.0% Alcohol | pH 3.4 |TA 6.5 g/L | RS 2.8 g/L | Vegan
The dry viognier has floral aromas with pink grapefruit, key lime and honeysuckle highlights. The palate is bursting with tropical flavour including passion fruit. It is well balanced with good acidity and a refreshingly light bitterness. 90 Points
Castoro de Oro Viogner 2017
The viognier is pale straw in colour. On the nose, ripe peaches with exotic aromas of orange blossom. Flavours of yellow peach, nectarine, honeydew melon, hazelnut, citrus, a blast of honey, and a hint of white pepper. The wine has a luxurious viscous mouthfeel and a medium-long finish. 91 Points.
Paired perfectly with Pan-Fried Sole with horseradish, mayonnaise and lemon sauce.
Gneiss Wines Viognier 2021($29.99)
13% Alcohol / RS 1.8 gm/L. The Viognier is from an Oliver vineyard and the wine was aged in 75% stainless steel and 25% French oak barrels.
The Viognier burst forth with a floral aroma of jasmine and lychee. The medium-bodied wine has a well-rounded creamy mouthfeel with bright acidity and apricot, nectarine, honeydew melon and citrus flavours. This wine is ripe, bold and lively and complements various dinner options and occasions. 91 Points
Blasted Church Viognier 2022
The 2022 Viognier brings together fruit from the estate vineyard, Redbrick Vineyard on the Osoyoos East Bench, and Crespo Vineyard on the Osoyoos West Bench. Each block was hand-harvested at its ideal balance of sugar, acid, and phenolic ripeness and handled separately until blending in the weeks following harvest.
Some batches received a few hours of skin contact to increase the aromatic intensity and mouthfeel, while the remaining fruit was whole-cluster pressed directly to the tank for overall freshness and balance. A portion of the juice (25%) was racked to the barrel for fermentation and aging to bring more richness to the blend, while the remaining juice (75%) was fermented in stainless steel tanks.
Vibrant aromatic aromas of apricot, white florals, and tangerine. A gorgeous, rounded, complex mouthfeel with well-balanced acidity. Flavours of apricot jam, peach, mango, and Anjou pear lead to a satisfyingly long finish. 90 Points
Dirty Laundry Vineyard Viognier 2021 ($21.99)
“Our Tight Cork Vineyard located in Summerland BC is the home of all the Viognier grapes for this 2021 vintage. A touch of skin contact early in fermentation brings out a delicious round-mouth feel. This wine was once only a staple in our flagship wine Secret Affair, and it now shines on its own!”
Mason Spink, Winemaker
13% Alcohol, pH 3.56 TA 6.3 g/L, RS 8.93 g/L.
A beautiful floral nose of orange blossom, honeydew melon and a hint of jasmine. Flavours of nectarine, red peach, ripe apricots and honeycomb. An off-dry medium-bodied wine with the classic Viognier oily texture and a refreshingly light touch of bitterness. 90 Points
Food Pairing: Pork chops with apple sauce, seared scallops and a roasted root vegetable salad would all complement this wine very well. When looking at cheese pairings, try a double cream brie or creamy goat cheese.
Last but not least, here is a Viognier Blend from the 2021 Vintage.
Hester Creek Pinot Gris Viognier 2021($19.99)
The vintage is a blend of 2/3 Pinot Gris and 1/3 Viognier. The Pinot Gris grapes were hand-picked from the estate vineyard and the vineyard manager’s property in Oliver. The Viognier was sourced from three select vineyards in Okanagan Falls, Oliver and Osoyoos. The grapes were sorted and whole-berry pressed to preserve the fresh crisp flavours.
There was a long cool ferment for 29 days in stainless steel to preserve the bright character in the final wine. After fermentation, the chosen lots were racked, blended and aged for 3 months prior to bottling.
12.9% Alcohol | pH 3.44 |TA 6.0 g/L | RS 8.15 g/L.
A beautifully floral wine, “like taking a walk in a garden of violets and lemon blossom after a spring rain shower”. The off-dry, unoaked white has complex nectarine, red peach, and apricot flavours with a lime zest finish and mineral backbone. 92 Points