Northern Rhône Valley, France
Château Grillet both a winery and is one of the more unique stories in French wine history. It was known to Thomas Jefferson, who stopped by the winery and its 3.8 hectare during his diplomatic stint in France. Even then, this modest Viognier was regarded among the best in the world. Château Grillet, located in the northern Rhône wine region of France, south of Vienne, produces white wine from Viognier grapes. The whole appellation, which is only 3.8 hectares (9.4 acres) in size, is owned by a single winery, Château Grillet. The appellation was officially created in 1936. This small, unique, monopole AOC is, in fact, an enclave within the Condrieu appellation, which also produces white Viognier-only wines. The production of white wine in the Rhône region is relatively small compared to the red wines. Condrieu and Château Grillet are the only appellations in northern Rhône that are exclusively white wine appellations.
There are several other monopole estates in France including Romanée-Conti, La Tâche, La Romanée, Clos de Tart, and Clos de la Coulée de Serrant. The Neyret- Gachet family acquired the Château Grillet estate in 1830, and the family retained ownership until the estate was purchased by French billionaire François Pinault in 2011. Today, Isabelle Baratin manages the production and sale of the estate's single wine: Vin Blanc de Château Grillet. Only 10,000 bottles are produced each year. Happily, as this wine is sought after by a few true fans, the price and demand does not hit the same level of frenzy as some red Rhône wines, grand cru Burgundies and classed Bordeaux.
The vineyards stretch over two communes: Saint-Michel-sur-Rhône and Vérin. The vines are situated in terraces on steep granite cliffs surrounding the estate where the soil is lighter and more fragmented than in the Condrieu AOC. The slopes are shaped in the form of a natural amphitheater with south-southeastern sun exposure. The estate's vines average 40 years of age, and as a result produce very low yields. The fruit is harvested painstakingly by hand, and carefully destemmed and crushed. From there it is fermented and then aged in old oak casks for well over a year before being bottled. This cask aging is a significant departure from the relatively insignificant aging that most Condrieu gets, and is no doubt partially responsible for the character difference between Château Grillet and other northern Rhône Viognier. Château Grillet is not as obvious in its fruit profile as Condrieu, nor does it have the same honeyed intensity. Though more subdued in character, it is longer lived, giving more and more complexity as it ages. The slim brown bottles of Château Grillet are easily recognized and are used by no other French winery.