Viognier Les Contours de Deponcins 2021, Domaine François Villard, Rhone Valley

The whites are picked late to give them extra body and complexity, but still maintain a thrilling mineral streak and clean acidity. Bright white peaches, apricot and spices aromas on the lively nose. On the palate, this Viognier has an intense minerality, countering the naturally low acidity of the grape to make it racy, vibrant and thrilling.

François Villard has firmly established himself as one of Condrieu`s greatest winemakers. His wines are bright, poised and vivacious with a spine-tingling minerality, combined with amazing depth and intensity. François has 7 hectares of vineyard, which include parcels in Condrieu, as well as small pockets of Côte-Rôtie and Saint-Joseph. He firmly believes in the importance of the soil, more so than exposure, although he is very lucky to have both working in his favour. In the winery, no expense is spared in production either, from the painstaking selection in the vineyard to the use of new oak barrels. His wines are the epitome of the Northern Rhône – rich, full-bodied, complex and elegant.

11 months in barrels (2 to 5 years) on the lees without racking. Low temperature fermentation in barrels with native yeasts.