François Villard Côte-Rôtie, Le Gallet Blanc | 2017

The wines of François Villard have evolved from a full-throttle, modern style into a subtle one. Since his first vintage in 1989, Villard has dialed back his use of oak and believes that intensity and aromatics are managed in the vineyard. Le Gallet Blanc is 100% Syrah grown in the schist pockets of Ampuis and Saint-Cyr. In the cellar, more than half of the berries ferment with their stems, and the final wine ages in 20% new oak. An excellent expression of how darkly red-fruited Côte-Rotie is (versus the blacker expressions from Cornas or Hermitage), the nose is over-the-top with sweet cherries and raspberries. Its savory perks are reminiscent of a grand feast — bacon glazes, fennel-y sausages, and crispy skins of gold. It’s like Thanksgiving in a glass, and what’s better than that?  ~Allegra A