Côte Rôtie "Le Gallet Blanc" François Villard 2020

François Villard, St-Michel-sur-Rhône, Condrieu

“The wines have immediate flair and lots of life in them. The winemaking is modern, with new oak a constant feature. Villard has been restraining himself on the cellar techniques in the last two or three vintages, and the wines sit more comfortably in the glass as a result.”
John Livingstone-Learmonth, DrinkRhone.com 2017

François’ empire keeps growing, but he still keeps a tight rein on the operations, whilst being open to sharing his knowledge and passion for his region. The recent winery above St-Michel-sur-Rhône, that seemed so large a few years ago, is now bursting with vats and barrels, but the quality remains. The wines are often seen on the tables of most of the best restaurants around the world.

Aromatically seductive. On the palate, this extremely complex wine fills the mouth with an abundance of mulberries, cedar, liquorice, white pepper and earth notes. Well-integrated oak with soft, fine-grained tannins provide excellent structure. The finish is long and tremendously pleasurable.

Grapes: 95% Syrah - 5% Viognier