2018 Domaine Francois Villard "Les Contours de Deponcins" Viognier, Rhone Valley, FranceABOUT THE WINE A young vine Viognier from two villages known for Condrieu, Saint Martin sur Rhne and Verin. The soil is sandy granite and mica. Fermented and aged in used barrels for 11 months without racking. ABOUT THE PRODUCER Francois Villard was not born into wine; he started out his career as a chef. He grew up between Vienne and Grenoble, in the French countryside. He made his first Condrieu in 1991, a whopping 400 bottles. Today, makes wine

ambient yeast fermentation with a pied de cuve

soft textures and silky tannins on the palate

Gaston’s eldest son trained as a civil engineer

Emerald Hare is a Calistoga

Farming is organic with biodynamic principals

A dry winter with below-average rainfall and a cool start to spring kept the vines dormant late into March

Michel’s son

and a viticultural prophet

Domaine Vacheron is one of Sancerre’s elite properties

Johannes farms his vineyards sustainably and biodynamically and is certified by RESPEKT

as were the more restrained California wines of the 1980’s

A nuanced blend of Zweigelt