Francois Villard Les Contours de Mairlant Marsanne - Roussanne 2019

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No review – 2017/18 were 90/91 pts Vinous

The wines from Francois Villard strike an interesting balance… he harvests later than most of his neighbors, and his wines are definitely not “restrained”. Yet, by utilizing whole clusters and little new oak, he manages to balance the fruit. As Josh Raynolds of Vinous comments, “he has pulled off the neat trick of capturing the opulence of the fruit while retaining energy.”

This little beauty comes from the Condrieu region, the legendary home for the Viognier grape. Yet it is 70% Marsanne / 30% Roussanne. Just a few thousand meters south, the wine would be entitled to use the St. Joseph appellation.

But it isn’t. Which means VALUE, as similarly-rated St. Joseph Blancs from Producers such as Chapoutier, Delas and Vins de Vienne sell for $40+!

Like getting two or three for the price of one! It’s all about location, location, location…

So what do we have? 70% Marsanne / 30% Roussanne fermented in used oak barrels before aging on the lees, without racking, for 11 months.

And that means?

Right… we don’t see a lot of Marsanne and Roussanne.

The yin and yang of Northern Rhone whites, these two are rarely seen apart from each other, as their blend is greater than any individual bottling. Marsanne adds citrus, peach and apricot flavors along with a floral nose, typically of honeysuckle. Roussanne is intensely flavored, but hard to pin down in our traditional “it tastes like this” way of description. For fruit, pears are the most common descriptor, but there is an umami-like impression of herbal tea and Macadamia nuts. There is richness, yet balance. Acidity, but not overwhelming.

Here is what Vinous had to say about the 90 pt 2017 vintage – “Ripe honeydew melon, orange, pear nectar and a hint of smoky minerals on the perfumed nose. Offers nicely concentrated Meyer lemon, pear, toasted brioche flavors and a hint of tarragon. Silky and focused on the long, mineral-laced finish, which leaves candied orange and sweet butter notes behind.”

For pairings, as always, I like to drive down the road from the winery and see what they are serving. Ah, the lovely Auberge St Michel sur Rhone. Well, this would be lovely with one of their pizzas – did you know the French eat an alarming amount of pizza? #7 in the world per capita, just a hair behind Italy! In the mood for something more “French”? What about the house specialty – Grenouilles et Garniture de legumes de saison? Frog legs with seasonal vegetables! What’s that? Sticking with the pizza?


Or reply. The wine will be available Friday in both stores.