Viognier

My first encounter with Viognier was a long time ago. It was in Wädenswil at the School of Fruit, Wine, and Horticulture, as it was called back then. And yes, it was a wine from the now famous appellation – the smallest, incidentally – Château Grillet, which no one knew at the time except one man, a man in his prime, a cashier at the Zurich Cantonal Bank by profession and a true connoisseur of the Rhône Valley, no, of French wine culture in general. He shared this wine, which was already difficult to obtain at the time, with us. We were mightily impressed, and even our professor Hans Bättig's eyes lit up when he tasted this wine. My second encounter was not nearly as pleasant, even though the wine was grown not far from Grillet. But that's just how it is, one person can do something well, another less so, even if they're neighbors. Pellegrin, however, can do it, you can count on that. His Viognier has wonderful aromas, but it's not a bluff. Its bouquet is a delight, composed of spicy notes, violet and a delicate apricot aroma. Powerful yet full of energy, the wine hits the palate and puts on a show that is not only impressive, but also entices you to do the wave. Such a cool Viognier, unobtrusive yet so present, providing the best entertainment. Yes, this is how Viognier can and should be.