Gilbert & Aurélien Chirat Or Piste Viognier 2021 Vin de France, Rhône, France 75cl

Vignobles Chirat farms steep terraces at Saint-Michel-sur-Rhone, at the meeting point of the Condrieu and Saint-Joseph appellations. It is a fourth-generation family estate, and Viognier is very much home ground here, since Condrieu is the grape’s spiritual home just up the valley.

Or Piste is, in effect, a Condrieu grown just outside the appellation line, on the same granite soils that give the grape its perfume and weight. Made as a pure Viognier, it offers much of the character of its famous neighbour in a more everyday, approachable form. The Vin de France label reflects the vineyard’s position rather than the quality of the fruit.

The 2021 season across the Rhone was cooler and later than the run of warm years before it, which favoured freshness and aromatic definition in white grapes like Viognier. The result is a wine with lift and balance rather than heaviness, and it is best enjoyed in its bright, youthful prime.

Expect aromas of apricot, peach and honeysuckle, with a gentle floral note. The palate is rounded and textured, as good Viognier should be, yet kept fresh by a clean, dry finish. Serve lightly chilled rather than ice-cold to let the aromatics sing.

If you love the perfume of Condrieu but not the outlay, this is a smart choice. It works beautifully with roast chicken, creamy pasta, mild spice or soft cheeses, and makes an aromatic change from Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc on the dinner table. Viognier at its best offers real perfume and weight without needing oak to fill it out, and that is exactly what this wine sets out to do.