WTN: Free Settler & The Convict Chardonnay/Viognier 2007

Wit's End
South Australia

Note: The wine is actually made by Chalk Hill Wines, but they use the Wit's End name in North America to avoid confusion with California's Chalk Hill Wines.

Light golden in the glass.

A rich nose, honeyed and spicy.

Peach, lemon, light lime, full in the mouth, good lemon rind tanginess, peppery, honeyed, a little on the sweet side.

A peppery, mouthwatering finish.

Quite enjoyable.

Screwcap closure.

Purchased at $13.95 (Canadian).

There seems to be an increasing number of Chardonnay / Viognier blends on the market these days. I wonder why the trend.

There seems to be an increasing number of Chardonnay / Viognier blends on the market these days. I wonder why the trend.

Good question. What are the prices for the different grapes? Was there a move to plant more viognier in Australia?

Otherwise, I love the names on these Australian wines. Funny stuff.

Maybe they've gotten bored of blending Viognier with Shiraz in SA after realizing that when it's overripe it just produces apricot-and-black fruited goop?

Good question, Sue.

I've actually thought about it too.

I think it's possibly twofold.

One, there was an expansion in interest in California in viognier as a "next big thing". Didn't happen, or at least not nearly to the degree that some wineries/winemakers had hoped it would. So, a lot of viognier to be had on the market.

Chardonnay is still the bear in the market in the US, accounting for roughly one quarter of the wine guzzled in this country.

There was a commanding reason to explore alternatives to the by-then expensive and counter-productive use of oak barrels in the chardonnay, and generally lightening the overall style of chardonnay. All the cheap alternatives were explored----less oak, alternatives to barrels, like the staves, etc.---and so on.

Trouble is, when you get down to it....stainless steel chardonnay, while it can be good, also can be soulless, bland, primary and supremely dull and boring all by itself, unless done carefully and in the hands of a very good winemaker.

So, one of the alternatives that was explored was the blending of relatively expensive but not all that compelling Chardonnay with the suddenly available and not as expensive Viognier that added a wonderful floral component and soft aromatic fragrance and silky texture to either dull or shrill Chardonnay.

And it turned out to be a simpatico blending----as with Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, say---with the combination of the two often resulting in a better wine than either would be separately.

Now that Viognier is going through a mild resurgence and the abundance in the open market is not as much as it once was, and the price isn't as cheap as it once was, the paradigm might not be as compelling...on the other hand, now that the concept blend is established, consumer demand might keep it thriving. That, and the fact that a tiny little bit of Viognier can go an awfully long way in a big vat of Chardonnya; it doesn't take much.

Anyway, that's what I think happened.

Well, that, and the fact the Aussies are crazy about aromatic grapes like Viognier and also crazy about inspirational (and sometimes seemingly weird) blends of wines. Which I like too.

So according to Hoke, viognier adds relatively-cheap flavor bursts. Makes sense.

Is the grape easy to grow? I guess it is thick-skinned but with its inclination towards low acid I wondered if it might rot easily. Although you don't see too many botrytised viognier wines.

So according to Hoke, viognier adds relatively-cheap flavor bursts. Makes sense.

Is the grape easy to grow? I guess it is thick-skinned but with its inclination towards low acid I wondered if it might rot easily. Although you don't see too many botrytised viognier wines.

Starting to seem more botrytised viogniers in Aus and NZ. Yalumba in Aus and Trinity Hill in NZ are the leading examples.

Grape easy to grow, but not easy to pick at the right time without care. Pick too early, acids are high and it has no flavour. Pick too late and the alcohols are over the top.

Perhaps that's another reason why the CV blends are increasing - the V failed to make the grade for a standalone varietal wine?

So according to Hoke, viognier adds relatively-cheap flavor bursts.

Well, not always that cheap given the Cote-Rotie blends. That said in Aus there was a trend recently of blending it in with Shiraz as well (and there was quite a bit Viognier planted). Problem was that only a few producers grew good Viognier (Yalumba, who make a really solid cheapie - their "Y" is about 10-12 bucks and quite tasty without ever being too heavy/ripe) or made good Shiraz/Viognier (Clonakilla and Balgownie Estate who made some really nice wines were in the minority). A lot of them tended to be incredibly overripe and heavy with the low acid/massive tropical fruit of overripe Viognier mixing with massively ripe Shiraz flavours - basically utter goop.

From what I understand - given some recent heatwaves in the summers and the Shiraz-Viognier style not selling that well from a good number of producers, a lot of people are taking a step back on the idea of blending Shiraz and Viognier and sticking to the more standard Shiraz - and thus finding other ways to use that Viognier.

(BTW, be very glad you haven't tried any of the more offbeat white Rhone grape blends with Shiraz. I recollect a Lost Highway Shiraz-Marsanne blend recently where the label was atrocious and the wine was pretty much undrinkable - smelled of caramel, plastic and overripe fruit and was one of the most hideous things I've tasted.)