Villion Wines Lionne du Villion 2021

Villion Family Wines focuses on the production of premium wines. This means that vineyards are selected for specific contributions to create wines of international distinction. Selection criteria include the age of the vineyards, sustainable and nature-friendly production methods, limited yields, high altitude locations, clone differences and proximity to the ocean. Villion Family Wines does not limit itself to using only fruit from a specific department, but uses the strengths of fruit from different departments to create unique wine styles.

Jacobus A.S. Viljoen (Kobie), owner of Villion Family Wines, is a descendant of the first French Huguenot, Francois Villion, who made South Africa his permanent residence in 1671. From then on, the Villion family (later changed to Viljoen in the African language) made a living from cultivating the fertile lands of the Cape of Good Hope, with an emphasis on vineyards. Kobie Viljoen, with his twenty years of experience and combined with detailed and focused winemaking, takes hand-selected fruits through the processes to capture the essential components of color, flavor and texture in his wines. Environmentally friendly and traditional methods, including spontaneous fermentation and open fermentation, contribute to the authenticity of the wines.

Judicious maturation in French oak barriques and long aging in the bottle embodies the essence of the wines created. Kobie Viljoen trained at the Elsenburg Agricultural College in Stellenbosch, Western Cape. He earned a degree in cellar technology and distinguished himself as one of the top students in his class. Over the next 20 years he gained valuable experience in top South African cellars

Botriver is a neighborhood in the Walker Bay region, located between Elgin and Hermanus. It is the beginning of the valley and is known for its relatively cool climate, due to its location near the ocean. This produces wines with beautiful fresh acids, including Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay grapes. The weathered slate soils also contribute to the success of these cool climate wines.