François Villard is one of the Northern Rhône's defining modern growers, a former chef who traded the kitchen for the vineyard and, alongside friends Yves Cuilleron and Pierre Gaillard, helped put a new generation of Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie on the map. His style favors precision and restraint over brute power, letting the steep, terraced slopes of Ampuis speak for themselves.

Le Gallet Blanc takes its name from the pale, sun-baked pebbles that cover this stretch of the Côte-Rôtie hillside, and from two of the growers Villard sources fruit from. It's 100% Syrah grown on steep schist and granite terraces in Ampuis and Saint-Cyr-sur-le-Rhône, fermented with a high percentage of whole clusters and indigenous yeast, then aged around 18 months in French oak with only a modest share of new wood so the terroir stays front and center. The result is a Côte-Rôtie built on savory depth as much as fruit: dark cherry and blackberry framed by smoked meat, graphite, and black licorice.

Why You'll Love It

• Classic, terraced Côte-Rôtie from one of the appellation's most respected modern producers.
• The nose layers dark cherry and blackberry with violets, smoked meat, and graphite.
• The palate is silky up front, with fine-grained, structured tannins and a savory core of black licorice and warm earth.
• Whole-cluster fermentation and judicious oak keep the wine feeling precise rather than heavy.
• Built to age gracefully, with plenty of structure to reward a few years in the cellar.

How To Serve It

• Serve at 60-64°F, cool enough to keep the aromatics lifted without dulling the fruit.
• Decant for 30 to 60 minutes to soften the tannins and let the smoky, savory notes open up.
• Pour into Burgundy stems to give the wine's perfume room to develop.
• Pair it with grilled venison loin with a juniper and black pepper crust, or other game and smoked meats that echo the wine's savory side.