Comparison
Melon de Bourgogne vs Viognier
How Melon de Bourgogne and Viognier differ, dimension by dimension.
The short answer
Melon de Bourgogne and Viognier come from the same country but sit in different territory. The main differences: Viognier has more floral character; Melon de Bourgogne has more acidity; Viognier has more body.
Choose
Melon de Bourgogne
Choose Melon de Bourgogne if you want something fresher and more acidic, fresher.
Where they genuinely differ
Only differences large enough to notice in the glass are listed here. A gap of half a point on a five-point scale is noise, and WineHQ does not dress it up as a finding.
Floral character
Clear differenceBlossom, rose, violet, elderflower, acacia and related aromatic notes.
Viognier is more floral: high against low.
Acidity
Clear differenceTotal perceived acidity. Rises in cooler climates and with earlier picking; falls with heat and ripeness.
Melon de Bourgogne is fresher and more acidic: high against low-medium.
Body
Clear differenceThe overall weight and viscosity of the wine in the mouth — a composite of alcohol, sugar, extract and glycerol.
Viognier is fuller and richer: high against low-medium.
Fruit intensity
Clear differenceHow loudly the fruit flavours speak, independent of whether they are ripe or tart.
Viognier is fruitier: high against low-medium.
Aromatic intensity
Clear differenceHow strongly the wine smells before it is tasted. Some grapes are intrinsically aromatic; others express mainly on the palate.
Viognier is more aromatic: high against low-medium.
Perceived freshness
Clear differenceThe overall impression of liveliness — a composite of acidity, alcohol balance, fruit character and the absence of tiredness. Distinct from raw acidity: a wine can be high in acid yet taste heavy.
Melon de Bourgogne is fresher: high against low-medium.
Where they are much the same
Just as useful: knowing which parts of the choice do not matter.
- Tannin: Similar — both low.
- Herbal / green character: Similar — both low.
- Earthy character: Similar — both low.
Full side by side
| Dimension | Melon de Bourgogne | Viognier |
|---|---|---|
| Floral character | low (1/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Acidity | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) |
| Body | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Fruit intensity | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Aromatic intensity | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Perceived freshness | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) |
| Alcohol | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) |
| Spice | low (1/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) |
| Texture | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Sweetness | low (1/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to low-medium (2/5) |
| Oak influence | low (1/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) |
| Savoury character | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | low-medium (2/5) |
| Carbonation | typically low-medium, ranging from low to low-medium (2/5) | low (1/5) |
| Tannin | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Herbal / green character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Earthy character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Serve at | 9–12°C | 12–15°C |
| Typical flavours | green apple, lemon, sea salt, bread dough, crushed shell | apricot, peach, honeysuckle, orange blossom, mango |
Values are typical points within each wine’s range. Both wines vary — see the individual pages for how much.