Domaine Patrick et Christophe Bonnefond "Sensation du Nord" Viognier 2022

Direct Press Selection | April 2025

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Unlike many of the grapes featured this month, Viognier’s bad rep doesn’t come from commercial winemakers diluting the market with cheap, poorly-made examples (see: Chardonnay, Merlot). It has more to do with the essence of the grape itself. Naturally low-acid and prone to high alcohol levels, Viognier is also an aromatic variety with ripe notes of orange blossom, lychee, and peach. Without careful harvesting and a deft hand in the cellar, it can easily become cloyingly rich and waxy, its flabby acidity overshadowed by a nose and taste that many describe (unfortunately) as old lady perfume.

In other words, really bad examples are common. But it would be a shame to dismiss Viognier completely when there are wonderful bottles to be had. Case in point: the “Sensation du Nord” from Patrick and Christophe Bonnefond, whose vineyards fall in the Northern Rhone’s Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu (an appellation that only permits white wines made from Viognier). The fruit for this wine is technically planted on the outside edges of Condrieu, but the grapes still grow at high altitudes and see the same vinification as the Bonnefond’s AOC wine: aging for 8 months in old 400-liter barrels.

Along with benefitting from a cool climate, the grapes are harvested earlier to preserve freshness. That comes through in the wine’s healthy acidity levels, which balance out its full body and lush texture. The nose and palate are intense with notes of passionfruit, baked apples, figs, and vanilla bean pod, which linger indulgently long after swallowing. Burrata salads, rich lobster dishes, and spicy cuisines like Thai or Indian are all potential pairings, but this is also a wine I enjoy by itself as a nightcap, alongside salted almonds or Russian tea cakes if I’m feeling snack-y. Kate Masters