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Viognier with Spicy Indian Food
After some early success in this Viognier series with spicy foods, I decided to take the spice level up a notch.  Today, we’ll try a couple of nice Viogniers with Shrimp Masala.

Whenever I’m looking for an Indian recipe, my first stop is My Fancy Pantry.  Shari is a food blogger in Minnesota I found through the Fortify! Facebook group.  Fortify! is a bunch of fun Minnesota foodies who share and collaborate, and occasionally get together to meet in person.  I’ve not met Shari yet, but I look forward to being able to tell her thanks for her wonderful Indian recipes.  Today, I was looking for something with a bit of spice to put my Viognier wines to the next test.

Verdict?  The shrimp masala was great, and the Viogniers hung in there.  Had I made the dish very spicy, it may have overwhelmed the wines. At a medium level of heat, their richness and fruit let them balance the spice nicely.

Today we’re testing viognier and a spicy shrimp masala

Domaine Georges Vernay Viognier “La Pied de Samson” 2012 ($35 through Delectable App)
Condrieu is the historic French home of the Viognier grape, and I was hoping to include one in my exploration of all things Viognier.  They are quite expensive and not easy to find locally.  I have been using the Delectable app recently, though and was able to purchase the wine through the app.  The “La Pied de Samson” is from Vernay estate vineyards that are a bit too high in elevation to officially meet the Condrieu AOC standards, so they can only sell it labeled as Viognier.  Close enough for me!

Eye: Light yellow color, a touch of effervescence.  Tiny bubbles form in the glass; not fizzy, just that bit of sparkle.
Nose: Viognier nose.  Initially Pears.  Later, rich and almost sweet. Cross between peach and pear.
Mouth: Rich mouthfeel, but not overly so.  Nice and lively and definitely a mineral character.  Initially almost  a touch of bitterness.  Rich fruit, the merest touch of sweetness in impression.
Very nice with a medium spicy shrimp masala curry.
Note: best enjoyed closer to room temperature.  Just a touch cool is good.

Georges Vernay Viognier, almost Condrieu. Note the tiny bubbles in the glass.

Gramercy Cellars Antoine Creek Vineyard Viognier 2012 ($25 winery by mail)
We love Gramercy Cellars wines, and I was happy to see a Viognier as their first foray into white wine.

Eye: Medium light yellow, transparent.  Light in color for Viognier.
Nose: Light Viognier nose.  A touch of waxiness.  Pears, peaches & beeswax.  Reminded of the wax mom used sewing, way back when!
Mouth: Rich mouthfeel, but not flabby at all.  Rich fruit, good acidity.  Less mineral than the Vernay.
Nice with medium spicy shrimp masala curry.
Note: best enjoyed closer to room temp.  Nice flavor when just cool.

Viognier: Gramercy Cellars’ first white wine!

Homestyle Shrimp Masala
I settled on Homestyle Chicken Masala, substituting shrimp as the protein. I waited until I was almost ready to serve, then seared the shrimp and added it in, as shrimp usually does not benefit from long cooking.  I used carrots, cauliflower and green beans as my vegetables.

Spicy shrimp curry!

As long as you don’t go crazy with the spices, go ahead and grab a Viognier the next time you’re planning an Indian dish; you’ll be glad you did!