Viognier 2023
AOC Uetikon, Erich Meier, 750 ml
| Grape variety: | Viognier |
| Producer: | Erich Meier |
| Origin: | Switzerland / Ostschweiz / Zürich |
Attributes
| Origin: | Switzerland / Ostschweiz / Zürich |
| Grape variety: | Viognier |
| Label: | Vegan |
| Ripening potential: | 1 to 3 years after harvest |
| Drinking temperature: | 10 to 12 °C |
| Food Pairing: | Apéro pastries, Apéro riche, Hot Asian dishes, Giant crevettes, grilled langoustines, Risotto ai frutti di mare |
| Vinification: | short must fermentation, soft pressing |
| Harvest: | hand-picking |
| Maturation: | in steel tank, bâtonnage, short cultivation |
| Bottling: | filtration |
| Volume: | 13.0 % |
| Note: | Contains sulphites |
Viognier
Saved from extinction
It’s hard to believe that the Viognier nearly became extinct 50 years ago. Today, it grows worldwide on over 10,000 hectares. The variety was first mentioned in 1781, and probably originated in Condrieu, in the northern Rhône Valley. There, and in the 3.8-hectare mini-appellation of Château-Grillet, vintners kept it on the post when the rest of the world wanted to know nothing about it. Its inventory shrank to a meagre 14 hectares. This is because it provides only low yields, and for a while there were no good seedlings. In the 1980s, interest in Viognier reawakened. It actually shows a unique profile: deep golden with good body and aromas of apricot, lime blossom, citrus fruits, honey and hazelnut. It is popular in the Languedoc region, flows into the white Côtes du Rhône and also does very well in California. The best examples fit wonderfully with poultry in cream sauce, noble fish like turbot or – why not? – lobster.
Zürich
Zurich: On the way to the top
With a cultivated area of 620 hectares, Zurich is the largest wine-producing canton in German-speaking Switzerland. The potential is great at prime locations on Lake Zurich and in the various river valleys. It is no surprise that a steadily increasing number of top wines are vinified here. The major variety is Pinot Noir. But white varieties also exceed exquisitely, such as Müller-Thurgau and the long-established Räuschling, as well as international varieties like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The wine-producing canton of Zurich is currently experiencing the most sustained upswing in quality in its history.
Ostschweiz
Eastern Switzerland: an intriguing puzzle
Eastern Switzerland has long been positioned on the northern rim of the climate zone where the cultivation of popular Swiss varieties is possible. Due to a warming climate, the vineyards of Aargau, Zurich, Schaffhausen, Thurgau and Graubünden are now in the zone where varieties such as Müller-Thurgau or Pinot Noir succeed excellently. But even long-established, almost-forgotten varieties such as Elbling, Räuschling and Completer are experiencing a renaissance.
Switzerland
Switzerland – A small country with enormous diversity
Switzerland is famous for its banks, watches, and cheese, but not necessarily for its wine. The Swiss didn't invent wine, but they have been extremely open and curious to it. Wine culture arrived in what is now modern Switzerland via several routes: from Marseilles to Lake Geneva and the Lower Valais region; from the Aosta Valley through the Great St. Bernard Pass to the rest of Valais; from the Rhone through Burgundy, across the Jura Mountains to Lake Constance; and from Lombardy to Ticino, and then on to Grisons.
