Viognier

Viognier is a full-bodied white that smells of apricot and honeysuckle, then tastes drier than it smells.

Low acidity, round texture, and enough weight that it drinks a little like a light red. The grape needs heat to ripen but loses its perfume if it gets too much, so cool Canadian sites are a genuine advantage. Niagara and the Okanagan both grow it.

Every bottle ships straight from the winery that made it.
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A grape that nearly vanished

Viognier nearly disappeared by the late 1960s, when fewer than a dozen hectares survived, all in France's Rhône Valley. Growers led by Georges Vernay began replanting it through the 1980s, and it now covers more than 16,000 hectares worldwide. Niagara and Okanagan growers came to it later still, part of the same global rebound that started in the Rhône.

Straight Viognier or a supporting role

Roughly half the Viognier on this page is bottled on its own, straight or reserve, from wineries in Niagara and the Okanagan Valley. The rest is one grape inside something else: a Syrah co-ferment, a field blend, a rosé, a white blend, or a skin-contact orange wine. Either half is worth exploring, especially if Pinot Gris already sits in the rotation.

Why so little Viognier reaches the LCBO

Most LCBO Viognier listings are French, Californian or Australian imports, so few Canadian bottlings make it onto those shelves. Getting listed there generally takes more volume than most small wineries in Niagara Peninsula and the Okanagan Valley can supply. Selling direct cuts out that barrier entirely, bottle by bottle, straight to the buyer.

How does Viognier compare to Chardonnay?

Both can be full-bodied, but Chardonnay's buttery side mostly comes from a secondary fermentation, not oak alone. Viognier leans on aromatics and low acidity instead, so it drinks rounder without the butter. Try Chardonnay side by side to taste the difference.

What food pairs well with Viognier?

Viognier's low acidity and full body suit rich dishes: BC salmon, roast chicken, or something with a gentle curry spice. The wine's weight matches those flavours without getting lost next to them.

How should Viognier be served?

Serve it lightly chilled, around 10 to 12 degrees, warmer than a bottle straight from the fridge. That keeps the perfume in the glass instead of flattening it. There's a Viognier icewine in the grid too, best served dessert cold.