"François Villard, a trained chef but passionate about wine, began to acquire his first lands in the spring of 1989, in the commune of Saint Michel (lieu-dit Poncins) in the Condrieu appellation. Beforehand, he trained as a sommelier in Tain l’Hermitage and obtained a “viti-œno” certificate in Mâcon. His internship with Yves Cuilleron allowed him to expand the Domaine François Villard to 8 hectares in 1990 then 12 in 2005. These first 400 bottles were on sale in the fall of 1992. His purchase of vines in Saint-Péray in 2006 as well as his grape trading allowed him to produce Vins de Vienne.
  
The Domaine Villard is managed with a master's hand, as an autodidact François Villard likes concentrated and late harvests, to seek not overripeness but perfect maturity. Francois Villard wishes to move more towards organic but working the soil sometimes makes things difficult since these are terraces that are very difficult to plow. Domaine Villard has therefore tried another approach and done things differently as much as possible, so treatments and weedkillers are eliminated except on certain plots that require special effort.
  
Harvest: 90% whole bunches.
  
Aging: 18 months in barrels, 20% new barrels and 80% barrels 2 to 4 years old.
  
This wine is distinguished by notes of sustained black fruits.
  
Its length and freshness in the mouth reflect powdery tannins."