Pierre Jean Villa Condrieu Jardin Suspendu 2023

When we met Pierre Jean at the Wine Paris expo last year – and then tasted his wines – we were instantly smitten. He’s one of those winemakers who oozes sincere adoration 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.

Pierre Jean Villa didn’t inherit a large family estate – rather, he built his shimmering 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.

“Jardin Suspendu” refers to the historical use of the steep terraces at this site after WWII, when locals planted vegetables there as a sort of “hanging garden.” Today, this same land in the prized Condrieu AOC has been reclaimed and replanted to vines, optimized for south-facing exposure and early ripening. This wine is 100% Viognier, given aromatic richness and crunchy minerality from its granite-laden and steep terroir. Low yields and high concentration are another side effect, producing a wine with breathtaking aromas of white flowers, pear, peach, and lemon zest. The palate is bright with acidity, and humming with a subtle mineral thread, bringing notes of lemon, green apple, papaya, and a hint of green tea. Point blank, we’re overjoyed to have some of this in both regular and large-format bottles, especially at this price! This expressive Viognier is a top-flight Condrieu that your nerdiest wine friends have probably never heard of... and that’s reason enough to bring home at least a few.

PAIRING IDEAS: My immediate craving after a sip of this was my favorite brown butter scallops with parmesan risotto and sauteed spinach... 1,000% yes.