Massena Viognier The Surly Muse 2012 750ml

Winery: Massena

Varietal: Viognier

There are few white wines in the world with as much of a floral, elegant and summery aroma as those made from the Viognier grape. This fine varietal has been grown in and around the Rhone region of France for centuries, and is believed to have been brought to France by an ancient Roman Emperor, who wished to spread this special grape around his growing empire. Today, wineries in the New World are beginning to experiment with this grape, which is notoriously difficult to grow and highly susceptible to mildew. Vintners must time their harvest just right, as the distinctive fruit-forward and extremely aromatic juices lose much of their character if they are picked too early, or too late. Due to its delicate nature, Viognier wines are often blended, or are allowed to develop noble rot to intensify their characteristics.

Region: Barossa

Australia's Barossa Valley has, over the past few decades, been catapulted to the forefront of Australia's wine industry as a result of the quality produce which is made there, and the dedication the winemakers of the region have for great flavor The original German settlers in the area may have set up the first traditional style vineyards, but today there are plenty of wineries exploring the possibilities of the region and utilizing modern technology to make the most of their vines. The region itself is surprisingly temperate, with hot valley floors and cooler slopes allowing the grape varietals to reach full ripeness. Although the region is most closely associated with Australia's much loved Shiraz grapes, there are now plenty of different varietals being cultivated in the Barossa Valley, and great success has been had with everything from Chardonnay to Semillon, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Country: Australia

Whilst most of Australia consists of arid deserts and dense bushland, the oceanic coasts to the south of the country have a terrain and climate ideal for vine cultivation and wine production. It took several decades of failed attempts at the end of the 18th century in order to produce vines of a decent enough quality for making wine, but since those first false starts, the Australian wine industry has continued to grow and grow. Today, wine production makes up for a considerable part of the Australian economy, with exports in recent years reaching unprecedented levels and even overtaking France for the first time ever. Whilst the greatest successes in regards to quality have been the result of the Syrah grape varietal (known locally as Shiraz), Australia utilizes several Old World grapes, and has had fantastic results from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Riesling, Chardonnay and more. As the Australian passion for locally produced wine continues to develop, wineries have begun experimenting with a wider range of grape varietals, meaning that nowadays it isn't uncommon to find high quality Australian wines made from Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, Tempranillo and Viognier, amongst many others.