As you can tell I like viognier. The Syncline Viognier tastes completely different than the Maryhill Viognier. Whereas the Maryhill Viognier has a peach and somewhat sweet flavor, Syncline's Viognier is crisp with mineral or earth flavors. However, if I read the flavors on the bottle, Syncline says it has a peach and gardenia aroma with bright lemon zest and peach flavors and subtle hints of minerality. I don't have a very refined palate, but I would say the lemon zest overpowers the peach flavor and that produces the crispness. ( I know you are probably going "duh"- remember I am a novice.).
I make my own viognier from juice. I buy at a wine and beer shop and my viognier taste more like the Syncline.
I decided to check out what the original viognier was supposed to taste like from Europe and this is what I discovered:
According to Wikipedia, the origins of the viognier grape is unknown. It is believed to have come to the Rhone Valley with the Romans via Croatia. Through disease and war the viognier grape was almost annihilate. In 1965 there was only 8 acres that were planted.
It has since rebound and become a more popular wine. It has grown dramatically here in the USA and is very popular in Virginia. ( Next time I am there I will have to try some of their viogniers)
According to Wikiepedia,"Viognier wines are well known for their floral aromas, There are also many other powerful flower and fruit aromas which can be perceived in these wines depending on where they were grown."
Viognier is best consumed when it's young. Although the aroma suggest a sweet wine, viognier tends to be a dry crisp wine, however late harvest grapes are often used to make a sweet dessert wine.
So depending on whether you like a crisp drier white wines or fruity white wine may will determine which viognier wine you will reach for. Personally, it depends on my mood, whether and who I'm enjoying a glass of wine with.
By the way, that's a picture of my mother and I taken years ago.
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