The AOC area defined as a cru is located as an enclave in the Condrieu area in the northern section of the Rhône. It was classified back in 1936 and is one of the smallest appellations in France with just 3.5 hectares of vines. From 1820 onwards, it was the sole property of the Neyret-Gachet family and their descendants for 180 years. However, the wine estate of the same name is spelt Château Grillet (without a hyphen). After the death of her father André Canet, it has been run by Isabelle Baratin-Canet since 1994. This is the only case where an entire appellation is in sole ownership and where the name of the winery is (almost) identical to the AOC designation. The property was finally purchased in March 2011 by the French industrial magnate François Pinault (*1936), who also owns Château Latour, among others.
The extremely steeply terraced vineyards lie 150 metres above the Rhône at up to 250 metres above sea level on a granite subsoil with a sand-clay mixture. They extend over the two communes of Saint-Michel and Vérin in the Loire department on the right bank of the Rhône and form a sun-drenched amphitheatre high above the river, open to the south-east. The name is derived from "grillé" (grilled or roasted) and refers to the sunny location. The extremely low yield averages 26 hectolitres per hectare. The white wine, which was already mentioned in many travellers' accounts in the 17th century, is made from 100% pure Viognier grapes and matures for 18 to 24 months in barriques. It is often described as one of the best white wines in the world and even inspired the mathematician Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) and US President Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826). Only around 10,000 bottles of this long-lasting wine are produced each year.
Image: Château Grillet / Vinexia - Brice Braastad
