Less than 25km from the Pacific lies Villard Fine Wines. Here the cool ocean breeze and morning fog make it perfect for Pinot Noir. The French but Swiss-raised founder, Thierry Villard, met his wife in Chile and eventually created his own winery in 1989, when Casablanca was still largely underdeveloped as a wine region. Despite its high quality, it remains a small family boutique winery and is part of the independent winemaker movement, MOVI.
Villard has several bottlings, including their “Expresion” series of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and Pinot Noir. In addition, there are Grand Vin versions of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and a mostly Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon blend.
Tasting Notes:
Breathed for about an hour in bottle and glass. There’s a bit of reduction which I like. Earthy and minerally nose with some floral notes. Some bright strawberry and cherry notes. The palate is light and smooth with red fruit and good acidity. There’s a touch of spice. I actually like this better at the moment than the 2017 Grand Vin Pinot I had a few months ago. The Grand Vin was darker and more substantial while this is more elegant and prettier. Maybe the Grand Vin has more potential, but the Expresion is so pretty now. It went well with the mushroom risotto we had. 91 pts AC.
About 16,000 bottles are made. I bought this for 8,000 CLP at Supermercado Diez. It’s about $17 dollars in the US.