Viognier vs Dry Muscat – Pretty Peachy Box

Here at Corkage we love fresh, peachy white wines to get us through the summer heat so we’ve picked two of our best wines for your weeks of sunshine. Tried and tested, these two delightful drops will be sure to impress, bring on summer!

Viognier ‘1753’ 2020, Château de Campuget

An elegant Viognier with a nose of nectarines, apricots and lemon peel. The palate is fresh and clean with refreshing acidity to balance the ripe flavours of flat peach and white flowers. A cracking summer-friendly expression of this consistently impressive varietal.

Château de Campuget is a top quality estate with a long history, officially established in 1942,   the Château itself was built in 1753. At the same time the first vines were planted, prompting the 1753 range of wines which mark this historic date.The estate is situated in Languedoc, a stone’s throw away from Costières de Nîmes. Their success is due in part to selecting only the best grapes from warm stony vineyards, like those of the Rhône, which reflect the sun and help the grapes achieve perfect ripeness.

Costières de Nîmes was elevated from VDQS to appellation contrôlée status in 1986. It is effectively part of the Rhône since the climate, soil and topography are so similar to those just over the river in the southern Cotes-du-Rhône vineyards. The relatively uniform soils are marked by large pebbles on gentle, typically south-facing slopes. Co-operative cellars are less important here than in most of the Languedoc and most of the development and experimentation is taking place on the smaller estates.

Country: France

Region: Languedoc

Grape: Viognier

Volume: 75cl 

ABV: 13%

Vintage: 2020

Suitable for Vegans: Yes 

Suitable for Vegetarians: Yes

Food pairing: My first thought is to stay local with the quintessentially English lunch of a Coronation chicken sarnie, however creamy soft cheeses would also be a lot of fun plus gently spiced rice dishes such as Persian Tachin.

Oveja Dry Muscat 2019, Bodegas y Vinedos Fontana

A wine that has stayed with us from the very beginning, ask any local about ‘the sheep wine’ and they’ll tell you how awesome this stuff is. Layers of honeyed peaches, juicy lychees and summer flowers on the nose give way to spanish citrus acidity, flaked almonds and even the slightest of sparkles. Is there anything more fun than that? A cracking wine for any time of day, nothing short of a Corkage legend. 

Bodegas Fontana is a family winery, owned by the Cantarero Morales family.They own 600 hectares of high-altitude, sustainably farmed vineyards, of which they manage 400. Their Muscat is grown at altitudes off 700-900 metres. With more than thirty years of experience, rooted in tradition, they have managed to surprise the industry by consistently placing their products in a prestigious place in the Spanish wine scene, representing a modern take on local wine traditions.

Country: Spain

Region: Castile-La Mancha

Grape: Muscat

Volume: 75cl 

ABV: 12%

Vintage: 2019

Suitable for Vegans: Yes 

Suitable for Vegetarians: Yes

Food pairing: This would be a great match for salty British cheeses such as Cheshire or Wensleydale but it’s incredibly versatile, so try serving it alongside a traditional Paella bursting with saffron and mussels.

One of our other favourite peachy wines is the Age of Grace Viognier from the Lismore Estate in South Africa. If you’re in the market for a richer, barrel-fermented style, more in line with Condrieu, this is your bag!