Côtes du Rhône Cru AOC Château-Grillet

Climate: Continental

Soils: Granite

Website appellation: http://chateau-grillet.com/fr/

Production surface area in 2023: 4 HA

Total production in 2023: 121 HL

Average annual yeld: 30 HL/HA

Export: 1%

Recognition in AOC by the I.N.A.O.: 1936

Communes: Vérin and Saint-Michel-sur-Rhône

Specifications for the appellation

The history of Château-Grillet and Condrieu are closely intertwined. Both vineyards are said to have been planted by the emperor Probus in the third century AD, with vines brought in from Dalmatia. There is plenty of evidence to support this version of the area’s viticultural history, notably in Saint-Roman-en-Gal where one of the many mosaics unearthed by archaeologists depicts a harvest scene, while another features grapes being crushed. The early development of the vineyards is arguably linked to the Pax Romana, when the local Allobroges tribe, whose lands included the section of the Rhône’s right bank overlooking Vienne, were authorised to seek Roman citizenship; this in turn would grant them the right to plant vines.
The vineyards are frequently mentioned in travel journals dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries.
From these, we know that the Château wines were featured in the most notable cellars of the day. A cellar inventory drawn up in 1814 after the death of Empress Josephine de Beauharnais lists “two hundred and ninety-six bottles of Château-Grillé wine” among its “best crus”.
And while the histories of Château-Grillet and Condrieu are linked, there is one distinct difference – Château-Grillet used to belong to middle class owners hailing from Lyon. It was awarded AOC status in 1936, and now has only one owner.

The vines are planted in a natural amphitheatre formation, facing south, and enjoy a superbly hot and sunny microclimate, sheltered from northerly winds.

Viognier is the key varietal, producing intense, mineral-rich, beautifully taut wines. The soils here have two very distinct geological backgrounds: 
 

• Ancient biotite granite from the Palaeozoic era, made up of quartz, feldspar and mica eroded to give sandy soils with varying clay content;
   
• More recent deposits of loess (aeolian sediment dating from the Quaternary), found occasionally in the natural land depressions.
   

The soils are poor, but free-draining and robust, perfect for producing great wines. The friable subsoils allow vines to root deeply in their search for water and minerals.

Château-Grillet lies between Vérin and Saint-Michel- sur-Rhône in the Loire département, on the right bank of the Rhône just south of Vienne.

100% Viognier. A clear, bright, extremely aromatic white wine, developing flavours of honey, peach and apricot over time.
A subtle tang of acidity offsets its smooth, full-bodied unctuousness.
The wine is matured in oak barrels or tanks for two years, to give a vin de garde – a wine made for ageing – whose rich texture and flavours will continue to develop for 10 years or more.