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More wines available from Francois Villard
750ml
Bottle:
$49.90
100% Viognier from Chavanay and Vérin, with decomposed granite and quartz terroir. Twenty-five-year-old vines. Low...
750ml
Bottle:
$66.28
Rated 95 - Deep, bright-rimmed purple. Expressive, mineral-accented cherry and dark berry preserves, exotic spice and...
750ml
Bottle:
$25.95
From three sites on the Plateau de Chassis in the village of Mercurol. In the shadow of Hermitage, the land opens up...
750ml
Bottle:
$34.50
100% Marsanne aged on the fine lees for eleven months in oak, 10% new. 70% of the vines are forty years-old and the...
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Winery
Francois Villard
Varietal: Viognier
The green-skinned Viognier grape varietal has been around for centuries in France, with many people claiming that they were brought to the Rhone region from Croatia by ancient Romans who were impressed by its flavors and aromas. Today, they are grown in several different countries, although many wineries find them a difficult varietal to work with as they are highly susceptible to disease, and struggle in fluctuating climatic conditions. However, when the grapes are harvested at the right time, the wines they produce are of an exceptional quality. Their floral aromas are their main selling point, as these give an impression of sweetness over an otherwise dry and fruit-forward wine, and their crispness and low acidity makes them an ideal match for many international cuisines.
Region: Rhone Valley
The southern French wine region of the Rhone Valley has been home to wine-makers for over two thousand years, with the first grapevines of the region being cultivated in around 600 BCE when the ancient Greeks arrived with their knowledge of viticulture and eagerness to produce more wine. Today, the region is famed around the world for the excellence of its produce, and has dozens of wineries making the most of the wide range of grape varietals which flourish there. In the northern sub-region, the continental climate and brisk winds coming off the Central Massif allow wineries to grow a smaller range of varietals – predominantly Syrah, Marsanne, Roussane and Viognier, whereas the southern, more Mediterranean sub-region allows far more range. Here, dozens of varietals are grown for the production of white, red and rosé wines, all packed full of flavor and able to express the unique terroir they are grown on.
Country: France
France is renowned across the globe for its quality wines and the careful expertise which goes into making them, but what is truly remarkable about this relatively small country is the vast range of wines it produces in such huge amounts each year. Not only are the finest red wines in the world said to come from the beautiful regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy, but elsewhere in the country we find the Champagne region, and areas such as the Rhone Valley and the Loire, whose white wines consistently receive awards and accolades by the plenty. This range is a result of the great variety of climatic conditions and terrain found in France, coupled with generations of wine makers working within single appellations. Their knowledge of specific terroirs and grape varieties has, over time, perfected the production of wines within their region, and the end results continue to impress the world to this day.