Joost de Villebois
France
A labor of love...for a love lorn Dutchman!
Years Angel-funded: 2013-18
- Joost knows how to preserve the heritage of the Loire region while catering to new world consumers.
- He started out in the '90s, producing 2 barrels a year in an old farmhouse... now, with Villebois, he highlights all the best parts of French whites, 24/7. And he passed the Angel torch to his lead winemaker, Patrice Grasset- who makes the Loire Valley wines you love today!
- Winemaking's a real team effort, Joost says. He's so glad to have had you on part of his!
Vineyard Location
Joost de Villebois's Story
Joost de Villebois's Story
"I grew up with wine and wine was very much a part of my household. I decided at a very young age, 18, that I not only wanted to drink wine, but I wanted to make it myself too.
I went on to study at the wine faculty at the University of Bordeaux, where I started to learn the tricks of the trade. My first proper wine business was in 1996, when I bought a farmhouse in the Loire area, and started to make two barrels of wine a year.
Being as green as possible in my vineyards is very important to me. We try and use a very limited number of 'products' in the fields.
We also green harvest in order to optimize the quality of the grapes and minimize production per hectare. Finally, we use a technique called 'effeuillage' the reduction of leaves to increase the sun and light exposure of the grapes.
We have a great team here at Villebois, with Thierry Merlet as our principal winemaker.
My proudest moment as a winemaker? When well known Dutch Wine Journalist (Hubrecht Duijker) spoke of our Sauvignon Blanc as an 'absolute dream of a white wine'.
Joost's Archangels
From wine to tea, there is nothing better then a great drink to bring people together!
I live in Missoula, Montana where I am a retired lawyer/Insurance Company CEO. I love the Naked Wine concept and the camaraderie of the host of angels and angelic winemakers I am getting to know. Good wine, great price and good friends, what more could I ask. I see NakedWines as a supersocial network with benefits;
