Fairview Viognier 2009 750ml

Winery: Fairview

Varietal: Viognier

In the Rhone region of France, one of the most ancient and highly esteemed grape varietals is the Viognier, a green-skinned grape famed and admired for its highly aromatic qualities and delicious fruit-forward nature. The wine it produces is remarkably pale, and is a popular choice with those looking for an extremely elegant wine to be enjoyed in hot weather and paired with equally aromatic foods. The Viognier varietal is known for having an extremely floral nose, which gives an impression of summery sweetness over a wine which is usually dry, although it is occasionally given over to noble rot in order to intensify its sugars. Viognier grapes can be successfully blended with several other grape varietals, as they are in certain New World countries, and can also be aged to produce exceptionally crisp and dry white wines.

Region: Coastal Region

South Africa is a fascinating country for wine, and the coastal regions at the very tip of the African continent are widely regarded as being one of the finest wine regions in the world. It isn't difficult to understand why the early European settlers in the 17th century saw such potential for viticulture in the area; the heat is fantastic, the summer days wonderfully long, the soil rich in minerals, and the strong winds coming from the ocean provide much needed coolness in which the grapes could ripen slowly and fully. Over time, South Africa's coastal regions became covered in strong, healthy vineyards, and today, the wine industry of the region is booming. The past few decades have seen wineries experimenting with a wide range of grape varietals, and also producing fortified wines and sparkling wines of great character alongside their classic varieties.

Country: South Africa

As geographically diverse country, with everything from lush green valleys to areas of arid desert, mountainsides and river estuaries, South Africa unsurprisingly produces a huge range of excellent wines. Regions such as the Breede River Valley consistently impress with their Semillon wines and the lush, fruity Ruby Cabernets grown and processed here, and the cooler region of Overberg is attracting much attention as a result of their silky Pinot Noir bottles. However, all over the oceanic tip of this fascinating country, traditional methods dating back over three hundred years are combining with modern technologies to produce some of the finest examples of New World wines to be found anywhere on the globe.