CONDRIEU

Too richly flavoured for some, nectar to others, Viognier finds its apotheosis in Condrieu. Here in this far-northern Rhône region, up-and-coming winemakers are meeting with aplomb the challenges posed by shifting tastes and rapidly changing climate

- MATT WALLS

In the 1960s, Viognier nearly died out completely. Many Decanter readers would be horrified by this scenario, but certainly not all – it is, after all, one of the most divisive of grapes. Its birthplace is Condrieu, and the new president of the appellation, Pierre-Jean Villa, is under no illusions. ‘People either like it or they don’t.’ he says. ‘It’s not universally enjoyed like Chardonnay.’ But those that like it, love it. To him, ‘Condrieu is magic – but fragile’. In the face of climate change, he’s helping a new generation of winemakers adapt their winemaking to create a fresher style of wine.

FOUNDING FATHER

Today there are more than 16,000ha of Viognier grown around the globe (source: ‘Which Winegrape Varieties are Grown Where?’, Anderson & Nelgen, revised edition 2020), but it wasn’t always so widespread. It originates in the northern Rhône, where it has been cultivated for more than 2,000 years. But the late 19th and early 20th centuries were tempestuous, and after the region was battered by phylloxera and two world wars, by 1965 plantings had dwindled to just 8ha. The late Georges Vernay never stopped believing in Condrieu, however, and he inspired a group of fellow winemakers to replant the region’s vertiginous terraces. Together they saved Viognier from extinction and since then it has spread around the world.

STRONG CHARACTER