2015 · Moulin Haut Villars

Château Villars is a family-owned Fronsac estate run by Thierry Gaudrie, whose family has farmed here for seven generations. Its vineyards lie on hills overlooking the River Isle valley, where clay-limestone soils contribute power and finesse to the wines. The estate combines traditional vineyard savoir-faire with modern oenology and careful harvesting at optimum ripeness. The Merlot-dominant wines are hand-harvested, macerated for 27 days and aged in oak barrels, with one third of the barrels renewed annually—a practice followed since 1978. Thierry Gaudrie, a trained oenologist, has overseen vinification since 1991 and the estate since 1997.