Pierre Jean Villa Preface Saint-Joseph 2023

Pierre Jean Villa didn’t inherit a large family estate – rather, he built his mighty reputation from scratch. Born and raised in Chavanay, Pierre Jean trained and worked in Burgundy in the ‘90s, including notable operations like Clos de Tart. In the early 2000s, he returned to the Rhône to join the collaborative Vins de Vienne project with Yves Cuilleron, François Villard, and Pierre Gaillard, earning a deep understanding of the area’s terroirs. Finally, in 2009, he launched his own domaine, starting truly independently on steep and challenging hillsides around Chavanay and Vérin. Now, he has about 17 hectares across several northern Rhône appellations and has been joined by his children in expanding his estate.

With 833 cases imported, the 2023 Saint-Joseph Preface comes from the Latin phrase “before speaking” in honor of it being the estate’s first wine. Coming from vines of varying ages (30 to 90 years old) throughout the heart of the Saint-Joseph appellation, the 100% Syrah grapes grow in light schist and gneiss soils on a granite base with south and southeast exposures. After partial destemming, the grapes soak for 20 days and age for 14 months in traditional barrels as well as larger demi-muids. Florals, fennel, juicy dark fruit, and smoky iron take over the senses in this exuberantly styled Syrah.

When we met Pierre Jean at the Wine Paris expo last year – and then tasted his wines – it was instant and true love. He’s one of those winemakers who emits sincere fervor for his craft and land, and everything about his wines shows it: organic and biodynamic viticulture, minimal intervention in the cellar, and thoughtful sourcing and farming methods. Though he’s decidedly under the radar, his estate is a secret we’ll happily share... just so long as you keep it on the down-low, as his wines could easily go for thrice the price if too many people catch wind.