#voignier

(Pronoucned “Vee-own-yay). Voignier is sometimes known by a somewhat unaffectionate nickname—”parfum de pute,” meaning “whore’s perfume”—however, the insulting nature of that name should be re-evaluated on two fronts. The first front has to do with female ownership of the female form and its desires, and further with sexual liberation in general. The second front, however, the one of concern here, has to do with the merit of the grape. Voignier makes its home in the Rhône Valley in Southeastern France. It is the only grape permitted to be grown in a certain region of the Rhône called Condrieu. Perhaps the sexual nature attributed to the wine comes from its capacity to be lush and soft in texture. Plus it is fruity (like peaches), floral (like honey suckle, or rose petals), and warm (like vanilla) in taste profile. The actual origin of the variety is not certain, but most people believe that the grape comes from  Dalmatia (a coastal strip and a fringe of islands along the Adriatic Sea in present day Croatia). People think Voignier was brought from Dalmatia to the Rhône Valley by the Romans between 200 and 300 A. D, during the reign of Emperor Probus. When the Romans were forced out of what was then called Gaul (a historical region that encompassed France, Luxembourg, and Belgium among other modern countries), the grapes went uncultivated in Condrieu, until locals reinvigorated the variety in the 9th century. By the 14th century, there was even some voignier planted at the papal palace at Avignon. The grape’s growing season is long, its yields are low relative to other grapes, and it is particularly susceptible to powdery mildew—for these reasons the grape nearly went extinct in the 1900′s. The grape has seen better attention recently for its attractive characteristics including its intoxicating perfume and its full bodied nature. 

This edition of the #AnteprimaLucca #Lucca tasting of Tuscany aged coastal Tuscan whites from 2007 very interesting #vermentinotoscano #voignier #michelesattagovanre #sassotondo (at Real Collegio)

My cosmopolitan evening tipple. What could hit the right spot. Well a nice South African Red paired with Spanish and Swiss cheese on top of organic Scottish oat cakes. #wineandcheese #southafricanwine #cheese #oatcakes #foodie #shiraz #grenache #voignier #lifestyle #foodie (at South Ayrshire)