Francois Villard

The Francois Villard estate covers 42 hectares, with 25 on terraces; vineyards are planted from the banks of the Rhône up to 350 meters altitude on steep slopes overlooking the river. In steep, windy vineyards, vines are trained using the échalas (stake) method, and vineyard work is done entirely by hand.

Harvesting is decided parcel by parcel, with parcels vinified separately using indigenous yeasts and sulfur additions controlled from grape reception to bottling. White grapes are pressed immediately upon arrival, chilled for 24 to 48 hours, fermented in wood, and aged on fine lees with weekly stirring for six months. Predominantly vinified with whole clusters, red wines undergo 8 to 15-day macerations in stainless steel or wooden vats without punching down since 2010, aging between 15 and 20 months before bottling. Wines age in wood, mainly 228-liter oak barrels, foudres, and truncated wooden vats. Estate bottling and labeling cover the entire range; its wines include AOC Saint Joseph, AOC Crozes Hermitage, AOC Condrieu, IGP Collines Rhodaniennes, AOC Cote-Rotie, AOC Cornas, and AOC Saint Peray.