Known as a Condrieu “Master,” François has grown his tiny domaine from four to seven hectares and still produces a miniscule amount of highly allocated bottlings. Referred to by Robert Parker as one of the “stars” of the Northern Rhone, François has recently acquired a small parcel in Cote-Rotie and a few ares in St. Joseph. Formerly a chef, François brings his complex palette to the winery to produce wines of power and grace that age for years.
The terroir of the Northern Rhone is, in a word, amazing. Fully exposed hillsides that face the East are covered with terraces first created by the Romans. The soil is made up of small gravel and decomposed schist over a bedrock of granite. The exposition allows for excellent ripening of the Viognier and Syrah grown on these coteaux and for exceptional water drainage (So much so that terraces are always needing to be repaired.) The climate is warm with much cooler night than those found in the South.
François Villard’s strategy is to allow for the most optimal ripening possible. His wines, as a result, are rich and concentrated with complex aromas of peaches, apricots, honeysuckle, and honey for the whites and leather and spice for the reds. The whites are often allowed to develop botrytis and most of the wines pass through wood ageing for an extended amount of time to prepare them for a very long life in bottle.
The absurdly steep hillsides of the Northern Rhone mean that harvesting by hand is the only option open to winemakers. François Villard and his crew harvest in very small baskets along extremely narrow terraces, making for backbreaking and dangerous work. These baskets are then emptied into larger boxes to be taken down the hillsides by tractors, and in some cases, donkeys. The results, however, are unrivaled.
PARCEL INFORMATION: Chavanay, Ardoix, St. Michel sur Rhône & Verin DENSITY: 50 hl/ha (5000 vines/ha) SOIL: Broken granite AGE OF VINES: 10 years HARVEST: 45% of whole grapes FERMENTATION: 2 weeks in open tanks AGEING: 40% in wooden vats, 60% in barrels 3 to 5 years of age PRODUCTION: 50.000 btls ALCOHOL: 12.3% AGING: 10 years
REVIEWS:
François Villard Syrah Collines Rhodaniennes L'Appel des Sereines 2019 WS Dec 2021
PARCEL INFORMATION: St Michel sur Rhône, Verin DENSITY: 45 hl/ha (8000 vines / ha) SOIL: Dirt, granite, mica AGE OF VINES: 12 years HARVEST: Direct pressing in barrels of 3 to 5 years of age FERMENTATION: In the barrel, low temperature with indigenous yeasts, batonnage once a week for 6 months MATURATION: 11 months on lees without racking PRODUCTION: 25.000 btls ALCOHOL: 13.5% AGING: 5 years
REVIEWS:
Villard Viognier Les Contours de Deponcins 2007 WS December 15, 2009
PARCEL INFORMATION: Saint-Péray
DENSITY: 46 hl/ha (5500 vines/ha)
SOIL: Granite & clay
AGE OF VINES: 20 years
HARVEST: Direct pressing
FERMENTATION: In the barrel, low temperature with indigenous yeasts, batonnage once a week for 6 months
MATURATION: 11 months on lees without racking, barrels 3 to 5 years of age
PRODUCTION: 10.000 btls
ALCOHOL: 13%
AGING: 5-7 years
REVIEWS:
Villard Saint-Peray Version 2007 WS December 15, 2009
FRANÇOIS VILLARD Saint-Péray Version 2012, WS Nov 15, 2014
FRANÇOIS VILLARD Saint-Péray Version 2013, WS 2015
FRANÇOIS VILLARD Saint-Péray Version 2013, WS November 15, 2015
PARCEL INFORMATION: Malleval and Chavanay
DENSITY: 44 hl/ha (7000 vines/ha)
SOIL: Granite
AGE OF VINES: 20 years
HARVESTING: Direct pressing
FERMENTATION: In the barrel, low temperature with indigenous yeasts, batonnage once a week for 6 months
MATURATION: 11 months on lees without racking (20% new oak, 80% barrels 3 to 5 years of age)
PRODUCTION: 6.500 btls
ALCOHOL: 13%
AGING: 5-7 years
REVIEWS:
François Villard Saint-Joseph Fruit d'Avilleran Blanc 2019 WS 2021
PARCEL INFORMATION: Saint Pierre De Boeuf DENSITY: 44 hl/ha (7000 vines/ha) SOIL: Granite AGE OF VINES: 20 years HARVEST: Direct pressing FERMENTATION: In the barrel, low temperature with indigenous yeasts, batonnage once a week for 6 months MATURATION: 11 months on lees without racking, 35% in new oak and 65% in barrels 2 to 4 years of age PRODUCTION: 7.500 btls ALCOHOL: 13% AGING: 12 years
REVIEWS:
FRANÇOIS VILLARD Condrieu Le Grand Vallon 2013, WS November 15, 2015
François Villard Condrieu Le Grand Vallon 2019 WS Oct 2021
PARCEL INFORMATION: Chavanay & Cylinder DENSITY: 44 hl/ha (8500 vines/ha) SOL: Broken granite & quartz AGE OF VINES: 25 years HARVEST: Direct pressing FERMENTATION: In the barrel, low temperature with indigenous yeasts, batonnage once a week for 6 months MATURATION: 11 months on lees without soutirage, 20% in new oak and 80% in barrels 3 to 5 years of age PRODUCTION: 14.500 ALCOHOL: 13.1% AGING: 10 years
REVIEWS:
FRANÇOIS VILLARD Condrieu Les Terrasses du Palat 2012 WS Nov 15, 2014
François Villard Condrieu Les Terrasses du Palat 2019 WS Oct 2021
PARCEL INFORMATION: Saint-Michel-sur-Rhône DENSITY: 44 hl/ha (8000 vines/ha) SOIL: Granite, mica AGE OF VINES: 20 years HARVEST: Direct pressing FERMENTATION: In the barrel, low temperature with indigenous yeasts, batonnage once a week for 6 months MATURATION: 11 months on lees without racking, 37% in new oak barrels and 63% in casks 2 to 4 years of age PRODUCTION: 11.500 btls ALCOHOL: 13.1% AGING: 15 years
REVIEWS:
FRANÇOIS VILLARD Condrieu DePoncins 2012 WS Nov 15, 2014
FRANÇOIS VILLARD Condrieu DePoncins 2013, WS November 15, 2015
François Villard Condrieu DePoncins 2019 WS 2021
PARCEL INFORMATION: St Pierre de Boeuf & Limony DENSITY: 44 hl/ha (7000 vines/ha) SOIL: Granite AGE OF VINES: 20 years HARVEST: Direct pressing FERMENTATION: In the barrel, low temperature with indigenous yeasts, batonnage once a week for 6 months MATURATION: 11 months on lees without soutirage, 15% in new oak barrels and 55% in barrels 3 to 5 years of age, 30% in new vats PRODUCTION: 8.500 btls ALCOHOL: 12.8% AGING: 12 years
PARCEL INFORMATION: St Pierre de Boeuf, Ardoix Chavanay DENSITY: 40 hl/ha (5000 to 8000 p/ha) SOIL: Granite & Quartz AGE OF VINES: 20 years HARVEST: 40% of whole grapes FERMENTATION: 2 weeks in open tanks (stainless steel and wood) AGING: 15 months in barrels of 3 to 5 years of age PRODUCTION: 20.000 btls CONTENT: 13% AGING: 12 years
REVIEWS:
Villard Saint-Joseph Poivre et Sol Rouge 2015 JD January 24, 2018
PARCEL INFORMATION: Ardoix Chavanay & St Pierre de Boeuf
DENSITY: 40 hl/ha (5000-8000 vines/ha)
SOIL: Granite
AGE OF VINES: 25 years
HARVEST: 45% of whole grapes
FERMENTATION: stainless steel and open wooden tank
AGING: 18 months in barrel, 10% in new oak and 90% in barrels 2 to 4 years of age
PRODUCTION: 15.000 btls
ALCOHOL: 12.7%
AGING: 15 years
REVIEWS:
Villard Saint-Joseph Mairlant 2009 WS October 31, 2012
PARCEL INFORMATION: Limony, St. Pierre de Boeuf, Chavanay & Felines
DENSITY: 40 hl/ha (8000 vines/ha)
SOIL: Granite, broken quartz
AGE OF VINES: 20 years
HARVEST: 75% of whole grapes
FERMENTATION: For 2 weeks in open tanks (stainless steel and wood)
MATURATION: 18 months in barrel, 50% in new oak and 50% in barrels 2 to 4 years of age
PRODUCTION: 17.000 btls
ALCOHOL: 13%
AGING: 15 years
REVIEWS:
Villard Saint-Joseph Reflet 2006 IWC January/February 2008
Villard Saint-Joseph Reflet 2006 WS December 31, 2008
Villard Saint-Joseph Reflet 2009 WS October 31, 2012
PARCEL INFORMATION: Ampuis & St Cyr sur Rhône (place called Lead, Bodin Coast, Grand Taillis, Fontjean, and Montlys Servonnière) DENSITY: 40 hl/ha (7500 vines/ha) SOIL: broken quartzitic shales AGE OF VINES: 20 years HARVEST: 50% of whole grapes FERMENTATION: 2 weeks in open tanks (wood and stainless steel) MATURATION: 18 months in barrels, 50% in new oak PRODUCTION: 19.500 btls ALCOHOL: 13% AGING: 15 years
REVIEWS:
Villard Cote-Rotie Le Gallet Blanc 2006 IWC January/February 2008
Villard Cote-Rotie Le Gallet Blanc 2006 WS December 31, 2008
FRAGMENTED INFORMATION: Ampuis (place called Brocarde) DENSITY: 40 Hl/Ha (12,000 plants/ha) SOIL: Quartz AGE OF VINES: 20 years HARVEST: 50% of whole grapes FERMENTATION: 2 weeks in open tanks MATURATION: 18 months in new barrels PRODUCTION: 1.200 btls ALCOHOL: 12.5% AGING: 15 years
Condrieu “Quintessence” NV
VARIETAL: 100% Viognier (late harvested provided by noble rot)
PARCEL INFORMATION: Saint Michel sur Rhône (Poncins)
DENSITY: 20 hl/ha (9000 vines/ha)
SOIL: Granite & decomposed mica
AGE OF VINES: 20 years
HARVEST: Direct pressing
FERMENTATION: In the barrel, at low temperature with indigenous yeasts
MATURATION: 9 months without racking in 100% new oak
PRODUCTION: n/a
ALCOHOL: 14%, 135 g/L of residual sugar
AGING: 20 years