Villard expression pinot noir

Beautiful ruby red wine in your glass. On the nose, very expressive and refined. Aromas of fresh cherries, wild strawberries, raspberries, and subtle floral notes (violets). Underlying hints of spices, soft cedar, wet earth, and a touch of forest floor give it a complex Burgundian style. On the palate, medium-bodied with a silky structure. The wine reveals ripe red fruits (cherry, cranberry), combined with fine spiciness, a mineral undertone, and lively acidity that brings elegance and freshness. The tannins are fine-grained and well-integrated, creating a velvety mouthfeel. The finish is long, clean, and refined with a slightly smoky touch and subtle oak influence (from French oak barrels).
 4.2/5 Vivino

Serving:
Pairs well with grilled salmon or tuna, quail, duck or chicken with a light sauce, mushroom risotto or soft cheeses (Brie, Camembert).
Serve around 16-17°C.

Storage:
Can be stored for several years with evolution. A maximum of 8 years is recommended, though always taste to check.

Additional information:

 The Casablanca Valley is one of the most prestigious regions for growing cool-climate grapes. Located 70 km west of Santiago and less than 25 km from the Pacific Ocean, its morning fog and low temperatures—thanks to the Humboldt Current along the Chilean coast—allow grapes to retain their fruity freshness and high acidity.

In 1989, Thierry Villard founded Chile’s first boutique winery in this valley. For over three decades, Villard has been recognized as one of Casablanca’s best wineries. For more than ten years, the second generation has innovated with deep knowledge of their land and terroir, developing new winemaking techniques to create super-premium wines of great structure and elegance.

By Jean-Charles Villard.

My father, Thierry Villard, was born in France but spent most of his youth in Switzerland and England. At nineteen, he left home to explore the world, and by twenty, he was in Australia. A year later, he decided to travel to South America. After arriving by sea in Panama, he traveled overland to Chile, where he met my mother. After seven months of dating, they married and held another ceremony in Paris, starting a new life together in 1972.

They bought a Volkswagen Beetle and drove to Kabul, Afghanistan. There, they had to sell it due to border closures caused by war between Pakistan and India. They continued their journey through Asia to Singapore using public transportation and flew from there to Perth, Australia. They traveled across the country to Melbourne, Victoria, where they met my mother’s brother, a renowned winemaker who had moved to Australia a year earlier at my father’s suggestion.

In 1973, Thierry joined Orlando Wines in Melbourne, one of the country’s largest wine producers, where he developed a new wine and spirits import division. He gained extensive experience in sales to hospitality, major accounts, and wholesale. He later became sales manager at Morris Wines, a group subsidiary, before returning a year later to Orlando Wines.

In 1980, he transferred to the Adelaide headquarters as a product manager in the marketing department, overseeing the import division, premium wines, and the Morris boutique winery. In 1981, he was appointed export marketing manager, establishing the export department and making the first commercial contacts with international clients.

By 1984, he focused solely on export, building a network of importers, agents, and distributors in Asia, Europe, and the United States. He launched Australia’s first international media campaign for Jacob’s Creek in the UK, one of the country’s most iconic brands.

During the 70s and 80s, the family took many holidays to Chile. There, Thierry renewed connections with local winemakers and became convinced he should start his own winery. By 1989, Chile's growing economy and wine quality showed huge promise in Europe.

So in late 1988, he quit his job, left behind his life in Australia, and moved with his wife and two children to begin a new adventure in Chile.

He started as an export consultant for wineries like CyT and Emiliana, where his experience in opening markets, building global brands, and strengthening Chile’s wine image was highly valued.

That same year, he founded Villard Fine Wines, focused solely on producing top-tier wines.

At the same time, he became a representative for the French cooperage Nadalié, producing and distributing barrels across Chile and Latin America. This allowed us to select ideal oak types for our wines. Today, the cooperage plays a key role in Chile’s wine industry and is run by my older brother, Sebastien.

For Thierry, producing premium white wines—and Pinot Noir, a grape nearly nonexistent in Chile then—was essential. Casablanca Valley offers ideal conditions for it. In the early 90s, Casablanca was still unknown, with few producers showing interest. It was tempting to be a pioneer in such a new winemaking region.

As you can imagine, I grew up surrounded by wine culture.

I studied three years of agricultural science in Chile, followed by two years of viticulture and oenology in Bordeaux, France.

In 2000, at age 22, I harvested my first grape in another continent, at McWilliams winery in Hunter Valley, Australia.
2001 in South Africa, at Villiera Estate.
2002 in Bordeaux, France, at Vignobles Despagne.
2003 again at Vignobles Despagne, for the Girolate project.
2004 at Château Palmer, Bordeaux.
In 2005, I joined my family at Villard.
2005 in Emilia Romagna, Italy, at La Stoppa.
2007 in Beaujolais, with Christophe Pacalet and Marcel Lapierre.
2009 in Burgundy, at Château de la Tour in Clos Vougeot.

Today I work with Anamaria Pacheco, our winemaker since 1997; Villard wines are our joint creations. Thierry is the mastermind behind the final blends and our key advisor, making us a great team. Together we handle international sales, and I manage the domestic market. My mother oversees administration and logistics.

In a country where most wineries are owned by large corporations, we are a true family-run boutique winery.