Domaine Villard et Fils: Passion for wine and terroir

April 19, 2023

Discover our partner, the Villard et Fils estate in Anières in the canton of Geneva. In this article, Philippe Villard talks about his passion and presents his quality wines.

DOMAINE VILLARD ET FILS: A FAMILY BUSINESS

For four generations, the Villard et Fils estate has been located on the banks of Lake Geneva. This estate comes from an old family in the village. In the 1920s, the Villard family also ran a café and owned cows. At that time, wine was not bottled and was intended exclusively for the family establishment. It was in 1954 that Pierre, Philippe's father, began bottling his wine. The estate was then enlarged and was able to accommodate a few additional grape varieties.

Then, it was when he became head of the family business that Philippe Villard made the decision to diversify the grape varieties. The following grape varieties were then planted:

Chardonnay
Muscat
Sauvignon
Le Savagnin
Pinot noir
Le Gamarey
Merlot

Sébastien is Philippe's son and he represents the fourth generation of winegrowers in the family. He has just completed his training and is already working in the estate alongside his father. The succession is assured !

DOMAINE VILLARD ET FILS: A SPECIAL LAND

The Villard et Fils estate has a particular geographical location. Indeed, it is located on an ancient lateral morene of the Rhône glacier. The soil is stony and gravelly, which influences the aromas of the wine. Due to its location, the vineyard is tempered by the lake. Philippe Villard was able to take advantage of these geographical conditions and work his vineyard accordingly to produce quality wines.

In addition, for four years, the estate has been undergoing conversion with the aim of obtaining the Swiss organic label. Order a discovery box to taste the wines of the Villars et Fils estate.

WINEMAKER BY PASSION

* I fell into the barrel when I was little.*

Philippe saw his father and grandfather practice this profession. This is one of the reasons that pushed him to choose this path. Despite physical work which can be arduous and the fact that he does not count his hours, Philippe passionately loves his job.

Here's what he likes:

His job is very varied. At the same time, he is also a nursery grower. He creates the vineyard plans and selects them. Then he cultivates the vines all year round to finally cellar the wine. Philippe masters all stages of the production of his wines, from the nursery to the cellar. This is what allows him to take great care and produce high quality wines.
Contact with customers and the many positive feedback he receives. He is happy to see the gratitude that customers show him. This motivates him and increases his quality of life.
He gets up looking forward to going to work because he really likes his job. So much so that he's not ready to stop!

* I will continue after retirement because I love what I do. *

Philippe's passion allows him to go through many trials. He knew how to stay the course and the difficult times forged his will. He explains that when working with nature, unpredictable events or constraints can arise. On these occasions, it is his love for his profession that helps him make the necessary efforts.

EACH WINE HAS ITS STORY

Chardonnay is a grape variety that Philippe's father began to plant in the 1960s. Philippe continued to produce it and this wine was a great success. Moreover, Philippe had focused his diploma work on chardonnay during his training.

Sauvignon blanc is a rustic grape variety. It is interesting in this era of climate change because it is very resistant. It is an interesting wine in relation to the geological situation of the Villard et Fils estate. It presents a beautiful balance between acidity and alcohol, which makes it a gastronomic wine particularly appreciated by restaurateurs. It is a wine to drink while eating.

In the reds, Philippe is proud of his Merlot, which represents the Genevan identity. His son, Sébastien, is interested in this grape variety for its ability to resist diseases and global warming.

Find the other carefully selected Villard et Fils wines on our online store.

VILLARD ET FILS AND SWISS WINE SELECTION, A LONG-STANDING COLLABORATION

The day he arrived at my house to talk about his project, I was on my back legs. Small winegrowers more often seek to sell their wine without an intermediary, but Hervé has proven to be very dynamic. I don't regret it, I would like it to last. Very responsive and competent, Hervé is always on the road or developing a new concept.

We are delighted to collaborate with Philippe Villard and are happy with this successful collaboration between wine enthusiasts!