How to pronounce Viognier

What is Viognier?

A white grape variety producing aromatic wines with flavors of peach and apricot.

Viognier is a white wine grape whose home is the northern Rhône Valley in France. Its origin is unknown, and the name is often linked to the nearby city of Vienne. It is the only grape permitted in Condrieu and in the tiny neighboring appellation Château-Grillet, both on the steep west bank of the Rhône south of Lyon.

The wines are usually dry, full-bodied and strongly aromatic, with peach, apricot and floral notes. Acidity is low and alcohol tends to be fairly high, so a glass feels rich and soft more than crisp. Most Viognier is made to be drunk young, while the floral aromas are fresh.

By 1965 only about 12 hectares of Viognier were left in France. Plantings have since recovered and spread to California, Australia, South Africa and the US state of Virginia. In Côte-Rôtie, up to 20 percent Viognier may be fermented together with Syrah to add perfume and help fix the color of the red wine.

Viognier, syllable by syllable

Why Viognier is hard to say

French spells one sound with the two letters gn. It is the "ny" in the middle of "canyon", made with the tongue flat against the roof of the mouth, and there is never a hard g in it. That is why the respelling shows an n followed by a y. The same rule gives you the "nyuh" at the end of Champagne and the "nyawn" in Sauvignon.

At the end of a French word of two or more syllables, -ier is usually read "yay" and the r is not sounded. Meunier and the word sommelier end the same way. French has no strong word stress. The last syllable of a word or phrase simply carries a light emphasis. English habit pulls the stress back to the middle, which is why vee-OWN-yay is often heard in English-speaking countries. The native form ends on YAY.

Tips for saying it

How to order Viognier

On a wine list, look for the grape name on bottles from California, Australia or southern France. In the northern Rhône the label names the place instead, so a bottle of Condrieu is Viognier even though the word is missing. Say vee-own-YAY at an even pace. The English-style vee-OWN-yay is widely heard and any server or shop assistant will understand it.

• “Could I have a glass of the Viognier, please?” Keep the last syllable clear: YAY.
• “Do you have a Viognier that is not heavily oaked?” Heavy oak can cover the grape's floral aromas.

Names often confused with Viognier

• Condrieu (kohn-dree-UH): The northern Rhône appellation made only from Viognier; the label shows the place, not the grape.
• Côte-Rôtie (koht roh-TEE): A Syrah-based red from just north of Condrieu that may include a little Viognier.
• Sauvignon Blanc (so-vin-yawn BLAHNG): Another French grape name where gn is the single "ny" sound, never a hard g.

Questions about pronouncing Viognier

How do you pronounce Viognier?

Viognier is pronounced vee-own-YAY. It has three beats with the stress on the last one. The gn is a single "ny" sound, as in "canyon", and the final r is silent.

Is the g silent in Viognier?

There is no hard g sound in Viognier. In French the letters gn work as a pair and stand for one sound, the "ny" heard in "canyon" or "onion". So the middle of the word is "own" followed by a y, not "og". The same pairing appears in Champagne and Sauvignon.

Is the r pronounced at the end of Viognier?

No. In French words like this one, the ending -ier is read "yay" and the r is not sounded. End the word on a clear "ay" vowel, as in "day". Other French wine words that end the same way include Meunier and sommelier.

Is it vee-OWN-yay or vee-own-YAY?

Both are heard. The native French form puts its light stress on the last syllable: vee-own-YAY. Many English speakers move the stress to the middle and say vee-OWN-yay or vee-ON-yay, and that is widely understood.

What does Viognier taste like?

Viognier is a full-bodied, aromatic white wine. Typical notes are peach, apricot and white flowers, sometimes with a hint of spice. It is usually dry, with low acidity and a rich, soft texture. If you like the weight of Chardonnay but want more perfume, Viognier is a reasonable next bottle to try.

Sources: Wikipedia: Viognier, Wikipedia: Condrieu AOC, Wine Spectator: How do you pronounce "Viognier"?, Wiktionary: Viognier. Last reviewed 2026-10-10.