In contrast to Chardonnay, the Viognier varietal has more natural aromatics that include notes of peach, pears, violets and minerality.

The potential quality of Viognier is also highly dependent on viticultural practices and climate, with the grape requiring a long, warm growing season in order to fully ripen but not a climate that is so hot that the grape develops high levels of sugars and potential alcohol before its aromatic notes can develop.

[4] One legend states that the Roman emperor Probus brought the vine to the region in 281 AD; another has the grape packaged with Syrah on a cargo ship navigating the Rhône 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.

In 1965, the grape was almost extinct, and a source reported only eight acres in Northern Rhône producing just 1,900 liters of wine at that time.

[6] When fully ripe the grapes have a deep yellow color and produce wine with a strong perfume and high in alcohol .

The decline of Viognier in France from its historic peak has much to do with the disastrous predations of the phylloxera insects from North America in Europe in the mid- and late-19th century, followed by the abandonment of the vineyards due to the chaos of World War I.

In the rest of the Rhône wine region whites, the grape is often blended with Roussanne, Marsanne, Grenache blanc, and Rolle.

[10] Vignerons in the rest of France often look to plant Viognier in areas rich in granite soil that have a heat retaining quality that the grape seems to thrive in.

The grape can also be found in Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, Washington, Oregon, Michigan, Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Missouri and Arizona, Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California as well as British Columbia and the Niagara and Lake Erie North Shore regions of Ontario.

In the Hawke's Bay Region, the grape is used as a single varietal as well as being blended with Syrah to produce a traditional Rhône style red wine.

Many Israeli wineries, particularly in the north, such as Yarden, Tishbi and Dalton have cultivated the grape and produced Viognier wines and blends with it with much success.

There are also many other powerful flower and fruit aromas which can be perceived in these wines depending on where they were grown, the weather conditions and how old the vines were.

In addition to its softening qualities the grape also adds a colour-stabilizing agent and enhanced perfume to the red wine.

In New World Viognier, the lees may be stirred in a process called batonnage in order to increase the smooth texture of the wine.

[7] In the creation of the dessert style Viognier, the grapes are often picked in late October or early November in the Northern Hemisphere.

Fermentation is then stopped early through the use of sulphur dioxide to allow the wine to retain a high level of residual sugar.

[13] The highly aromatic and fruit forward nature of the grape allows Viognier to pair well with spicy foods such as Thai cuisine.