François Villard, Viognier, Les Contours de Deponcins, St-Michel-sur-Rhône, Northern Rhône, France, 2022

Producer Profile

François’ empire keeps growing, but he still keeps a tight reign on the operations, whilst being open to sharing his knowledge and passion for his region.

The recently expanded winery perched above Saint-Michel-sur-Rhône, once modest in size, is now brimming with vats and barrels—yet the exceptional quality remains unwavering. François Villard’s distinguished estate, founded in 1989 by the former chef turned winemaker, has grown to encompass over 40 hectares of vineyards, alongside an additional 25 hectares sourced from trusted growers. Producing around 450,000 bottles annually, the domaine offers a diverse portfolio of 23 cuvées from some of the northern Rhône Valley’s most celebrated appellations, including Condrieu, Côte-Rôtie, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, Cornas, and Saint-Péray. These wines regularly grace the tables of top restaurants worldwide, a testament to their enduring excellence.

Viticulture

De Poncins is one of the largest Condrieu vineyards producing some of the finest wines of the appellation. François Villard Viognier 'Les Contours de Deponcins' IGP comes from a declassified vineyard lying next to De Poncins sitting on the same contours with the same terroir, yet the Vin de Pays is a fraction of the price. The vines are 12 years old and are planted on sand and granite soils with a southeast exposure for optimal ripening.

Winemaking

Cool fermentation in oak barrels of 3-5 years of age. Bâtonnage once a week for 6 months. 11 months maturation on the lees in 3-5 year old oak barrels without racking.

Tasting Note

This Viognier displays a pale yellow-gold hue and offers powerful aromas of peach, apricot, honeysuckle, and orange blossom. On the palate, it delivers rich, fleshy stone-fruit flavours with a compelling mineral streak, balanced by lively acidity and a subtle salinity that lingers beautifully.

Food Matching

Creamy fish dishes, shellfish or even mild Thai curry.