"2023 Viognier “Contours de Deponcins”- Domaine François Villard The Viognier “Contours de Deponcins” from François Villard is made from his younger vines in his vineyards in Condrieu. The 2023 bottling was barrel-fermented and raised in older oak casks. It offers up a beautifully expressive nose of pear, casaba melon, papaya, stony soil tones and a potpourri of gently musky flowers in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, fullbodied and nicely light on its feet for viognier, with a lovely core of fruit, fine soil transparency, zesty acids and impressive precision on the long, complex and beautifully balanced finish. I like this more than many examples of Condrieu that I cross paths with, as it is less ponderous in profile. Fine juice"