Among all the famous white grape varieties growing in Malta and Gozo, the Viognier may be the least known. But when it comes down to the quality of the wine it produces, it is right up there with the best. This year’s Delicata Viognier grapes are performing even better than in previous years.

The Viognier grapes pictured here belong to Delicata’s farming family-run vineyards in Wied tal-Isqof in lower Rabat. They started to ripen and are about six weeks away from their harvesting period.

The quality of the Viognier 2013 grapes so far is exceptional and the quantity is looking good as well; possibly a result of all the Delicata seminars carried out earlier in the year on sustainable viticulture and the customised pruning that was carried out by French pruning experts for Delicata over the last couple of years.

The Viognier has only been introduced in Malta in recent years but is producing full-flavoured, dry, white wines that have good weight and body, are very food friendly, especially with shellfish and white meat dishes, and have good ageing potential.

Besides being used exclusively in Delicata’s Grand Vin de Hauteville Viognier DOK Malta wine, it is also used as part of the blend in the popular IGT Maltese Islands Pjazza Regina dry white wine.

Outside Malta, Viognier is best known for its use in the French Rhone Valley white wines, in particular the elite white wine Condrieu, as well as in the Languedoc.

There are also significant plantings of Viognier in California and Australia and lesser amounts in Italy, New Zealand and South Africa.