François Villard : Version Longue 2022

Characteristics and tasting notes for François Villard's Saint-Péray "Version Longue" 2022

Tasting

Colour
The colour reveals a pale yellow hue, enhanced by delicate golden and subtly greenish highlights.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet opens with notes of stone fruit, particularly peach, and citrus such as lemon. It then develops further with touches of white floral notes, fresh herbs and a fine saline minerality.

Palate
The attack is both generous and unctuous, revealing flavours of green pear, white peach and aromatic herbs. With a vertical structure and medium body, this wine offers a dense texture full of vibrancy. The lingering, refreshing finish extends the saline and herbaceous sensations perceived on the nose.

Food and wine pairing

This white wine pairs beautifully with delicate fish such as trout, pan-seared scallops or a seafood platter. It also goes very well with white meats in creamy sauces, fresh goat's cheeses such as Picodon, or, for a bolder pairing, a chestnut mousse.

Service and storage

Approachable in its youth for its fruity aromas, the Saint-Péray "Version Longue" 2022 has excellent aging potential and can be enjoyed until around 2037.

Other characteristics

The estate obtained organic farming certification in August 2022, highlighting a strong commitment to environmentally friendly practices.

The freshness and mineral complexity of a Saint-Péray white wine by François Villard

The estate

Founded in the spring of 1989 by François Villard, a former chef passionate about winemaking, the estate is located in Saint-Michel-sur-Rhône, at the heart of the Rhône Valley. Today, François Villard still personally runs this estate, which spans 40 hectares of vines under direct ownership, complemented by purchased grapes. Over the decades, his philosophy has evolved towards a constant pursuit of elegance, balance and pure expression of terroir, moving away from overly oaked profiles. The estate also stands out for its manual work on steep slopes and its commitment to sustainability.

The vineyard

The grapes come from the Saint-Péray appellation, located in the Ardèche department. The vines, around twenty years old, are planted on south and southeast-facing slopes, ensuring optimal sun exposure. The terroir is composed of clay soils and decomposed granite, lending a distinctive mineral structure. The vineyard is trained using the Cordon de Royat method, with a planting density of 5,500 vines per hectare.

The vintage

The year 2022 was marked by extreme weather conditions, with the hottest and driest summer season recorded in the region's modern history. Despite this intense heat and drought, the vines withstood the conditions thanks to their deep root systems, resulting in berries with remarkable balance and freshness.

Winemaking and aging

Upon arrival at the winery, the grapes are pressed directly. Fermentation of the Saint-Péray "Version Longue" 2022 takes place using indigenous yeasts in small French oak barrels, under strict temperature control. The wine is then aged on the lees for twelve months in barrels, made up of 10% new oak and 90% used barrels. Finally, the wine rests for a further four months in stainless steel tanks before bottling.

Grape variety

100% Marsanne.