My Budget Pick - Las Moras Viognier

This winery has been voted argentinian wine producer of the year twice, they together with their sister company Bodegas Trapiche are the world's fifth largest and Latin America's largest producer of wine. The winery is situated in San Juan in Argentina and has a semi-desert climate with over 300 days of sunshine a year allowing minimum pesticides to be used in cultivating the grapes.
Viognier is believed to have been brought to France by the Romans where it is the single grape variety permitted in Condrieu, the famous rhone white. It is a difficult grape to grow and some even believe the name of the grape is called after the Roman word translating to "road to hell" . Viognier is prone to powdery mildew and thrives in the heat so San Juan is an ideal climate as it prefers warm climates. Typically viognier is meant to be drunk young as it does lose it's perfume as it ages.

 Las Moras means Mulberry tree and is so called as the property is covered in them. It is a great little crowd pleaser so a perfect party wine.  Very aromatic nose which is typical of this variety. Accai flowers and ripe apricots on the nose. In the mouth it is full bodied with some spice and slight honey tones so it works really well with spicy foods; Thai cusine or even a chicken curry. This really offers great value for money and let's be honest that's what it is all about at the moment. The Viognier is just one from their single varietal range but they also have a chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, malbec, shiraz and the latest addition a pinot grigio. I got to try the range when Pablo Ghiorzi (export manager) was in town last Thursday and at the new special offer price of  €6.99 you would be hard pressed to get more for your money

Till Next Time

Clare

CONSUME AND ENJOY IN MODERATION.

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