Perfect wine pairing for Guacamole

Wondering what kind of wine to sip with your favorite guacamole? Try a Viognier which brings fruit, floral and herbal flavors together to perfectly support a limey avocado mash.

Guacamole has been a summer staple for our family for as long as I can remember.  The recipe has changed over the years (sorry about the mayonnaise phase....), but the satisfying flavor of dipping a chip into a bowl of mashed avocado plus, is a great way to use late summer garden items- tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, and cilantro. We make a pico de gallo and smash a few avocados into it. We like the avocados left chunky, and everything drenched in a healthy dose of lime juice.  Play with the flavor and texture options of different kinds of chips, too.  Our latest fave is the "healthier" choice of black bean chips, which bring a ton of earthy flavor to the party.

Viognier compliments many foods.  The balance of citrus and stone fruit alone enhances many cheeses, vegetables and grilled meats, in particular. The experience should include a floral aroma, and a finish with some minerality and herbs.  You can even see the green hues apparent in the picture above. In other words a good Viognier can bring balanced enhancements of acid and earth- think lemon/lime juice, basil/thyme and salt- to any food. It is often used to balance blends of both other whites and red wines because of this super power.

I've had delicious Viogniers from France and California.  The wine pictured above came from South Africa!  FAIRVIEW produced a delicious Viognier in the 2014 vintage I tried.  As you can see, the color of the wine is straw with a green hue. The aroma is instantly floral mellowed by apricot.  The taste is perfectly balanced with citrus and peach, even fresh pear. It lingers with a welcoming and clean minerality. There is just enough oak to give depth to the flavor and viscosity. This slight taste of wood sparked the nutty flavor of the avocado and I basically couldn't stop indulging in both the wine or the guac!  

VIOGNIER, 2014, Fairview, Paarl-South Africa, $19