François Villard
Certainly one of the most cheerful winemakers you get to meet in the Rhône, François always seems upbeat and energetic. He has only been making wines since 1989, but has already established himself as one of Condrieu’s greatest winemakers. No expense is spared in the production of his stunning wines, from painstaking selection in the vineyard to the new oak barrels that he buys every year.
His wines are the epitome of the Northern Rhône – rich, full-bodied, complex and elegant. The whites are picked late to give them extra body and complexity, but still maintaining a mineral streak and crisp, refreshing acidity. They can also age magnificently over 5 years, adding layers of flavour to the wine. The reds are just as good as the whites - full-bodied but soft and elegant with fine grained tannins, lots of red berry and cherry fruit, with pepper, spice and hints of oak from those new barrels.