How to pronounce viognier

The most common pronunciations are vee-ON-yay and vee-OWN-yay. For those not familiar, Viognier is a white wine grape. Its spiritual home is in France’s Northern Rhône appellation of Condrieu, but it’s also grown in other parts of the world, like Australia and California.

Viognier is slightly more predictable and tends towards apricot and stonefruit aromas, backed by its signature oily texture. As a blend, Sauvignon Blanc provides much of the wine’s acid, keeping it fresh and racy, while Viognier rounds out the body and offers added textural depth.

Viognier ranges in taste from lighter flavors of tangerine, mango and honeysuckle to creamier aromas of vanilla with spices of nutmeg and clove. On the palate, the wines are typically dry although some producers will make a slightly off-dry style that embellishes Viognier’s peachy aromas.