Pierre Jean Villa - Rhone Valley
For the last year we’ve treated our clients to the brilliant wines of Pierre Jean Villa, an exciting Rhone winemaker on the rise. His 2006 wines have expressed his winemaking style perfectly; terroir-driven, balanced wines with ample fruit and delightful complexity. Every wine, from his vibrant Cotes du Rhone Blanc all the way to his burly, powerful Cornas, has shown Pierre’s talent is perfectly matched to the varied terroir of the Rhone.
Beyond making his own small-production wines, Pierre Jean Villa has been CEO of Les Vins de Vienne since 2003. Villa, together with Francois Villard, Yves Cuilleron, and Pierre Gaillard have resurrected some amazing old Northern Rhone vineyards and established a beautiful portfolio of wines. They are a 21st century negociant house focused on quality, not quantity.
As Pierre continues to build upon his success throughout the Rhone, we look forward to deepening our already fantastic relationship with him, especially as the already legendary 2007 vintage comes to market. Below is a listing of the great wines we have carried to date from Pierre Jean Villa:
2006 Pierre Jean Villa Cotes du Rhone Blanc - A unique blend of 60% Viognier, 40% Marsanne aged 10 months in stainless steel to keep a fresh, intense flavor profile. Ripe flavors of honeydew and lychee are in harmony with nuances of slate and smoky butterscotch.
2006 Pierre Jean Villa St. Peray - 60% Marsanne, 40% Roussanne from 40 year-old vines. Aromas of honeydew with hints of acacia and pine sap. Rich flavors of honeydew and fleshy melon coat your palate and lead to a vibrant finish full of orange blossom, almond, and vanilla. The finesse you expect from St. Peray but with more complexity.
2006 Pierre Jean Villa Condrieu - An exotic wine from the world’s most coveted spot for Viognier. This has liquer-like concentration with white floral aromas and luscious pit fruit flavors. The finish brings together hints of anise and slate with incredible balance. As decadent as white wine gets.
2006 Pierre Jean Villa Cornas - A classic eggplant purple color for Cornas. The wine’s nose is driven by dark fruits, violets, and worn leather. The body is densely packed with flavors of black raspberry, olive, and damp earth. Aged 18 months in French Oak, this has beautiful nuances of roasted meats, coffee and spice in the finish.
2006 Pierre Jean Villa Chateauneuf-du-Pape - 80% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, this has a rare combination of thick, powerful fruit and vibrant minerality from the region’s signature stony terroir. Black raspberry and garrigue aromas lead to dense plum and blackberry flavors. The finish offers endless complexity of roasted meat, peppercorn, and lush cherry fruit.
