Domaine François Villard

The career path of François Villard

From the kitchen to the vineyards, it's just a short step…

François VillardHe began his career as a cook, already a passionate wine lover. He secretly dreamed of owning two hectares of vines. One day, he decided to take the plunge and trained as a sommelier inTain-l'Hermitagethen obtained a diploma in viticulture and oenology in Mâcon in1988It was on this same date that he acquired his first vines. He then gradually expanded his estate after completing an internship atYves CuilleronIn 1990, he owned 8 hectares, then 12 in 2005. He built his very first cellar in 1996 and expanded his winery in 2002. With his winemaking friends,Pierre GaillardAndYves CuilleronHe also created the Vins de Vienne. Today, his vineyard extends across all the appellations of theRhône Valleynorthern, with the exception of Hermitage.François Villardis a winemaker of character who crafts his wines in his own way. No tastings are conducted before he decides his wines are ready, even if this might affect the ratings in the guides. The success of the wines ofDomaine François VillardThe acclaim is resounding, and bottles are becoming increasingly scarce due to growing demand. They are no longer even being sent to critics for tasting because demand is so high.

François Villard and the vineyard

“Good wine is made in the vineyards”

THE35 hectares of vineyardsextend across the magnificent terroirs of theRhône Valleynorthern. 20 hectares are dedicated to the production of red wines and15 hectaresto the production of white wines. Thus, we find the red grape varieties ofSyrah, Merlot and Cabernet SauvignonIn white wines, Viognier is in the spotlight, accompanied by Marsanne and Roussanne.François VillardThe winery seeks to express each vintage and each terroir through its countless cuvées. Each one is unique and possesses its own distinct character. The winemaker practices precise plot selection and harvests relatively late to achieve optimal berry ripeness. The grapes are harvested by hand to select only the finest fruit.The average age of the vines is 25 years.AndFrançois Villardmaintains fairly high yields in order to achieve a perfect balance between optimal ripeness and tension. The winemaker practices viticulture that is currently undergoing organic conversion. The terraced topography of the soils complicates the task, butFrançois Villardis a man who loves challenges and successfully pursues his goal.

The expertise of François Villard

A talented winemaker for great Rhône wines

The wines produced byFrançois VillardThese wines possess excellent aging potential and can also be enjoyed in their youth thanks to late harvesting, which produces wines with charming aromas from a very young age. Notes of flowers and fresh fruit transport us to the rolling hills of the Rhône. In the winery, the white grapes are pressed as whole bunches and the aging process lasts from11 to 18 months on leesFor the reds, a light destemming takes place and the aging process takes place in truncated conical casks or in pieces of wood that are 50% new, for 15 to 18 months.François Villardsells 75% of its wines in France. The estate boasts a large number of single-vineyard wines. Recently, the talented winemaker has refined his style, bringing more tension to his wines. The white wines possess a mineral and saline character that offers great freshness on the palate. The reds are silkier and more approachable, while retaining their spicy notes.know-howFrançois Villard's wines are widely recognized and his vintages are excellent wines to have in your cellar.