Château Grillet sold to Pinault

Via his holding company, Artémis, François Pinault who already owned Ch. Latour and Domaine Eugénie in Burgundy has just bought Château Grillet (a Rhône wine located in the... Loire département).

I've had Grillet 4 or 5 times, and not been overly impressed, but it is the sort of wine many wine lovers want to try at least once, so demand is high.

It used to be said that Ch. Grillet was the smallest French appellation contrôlée, but apparently La Romanée in Vosne-Romanée is even smaller.

Best regards,
Alex R.

[Jenise]

My friend Warren opened a 2000 several weeks ago: loved it. Had a really funky nose that I identified as newborn baby poo and which a few of the women-who-have-had-children refined to "breast milk". Which started all kinds of interesting conversations.

Château Grillet (a Rhône wine located in the... Loire département).

OK, you've got me, is this not is the northern Rhone? Viognier the grape?

Château Grillet (a Rhône wine located in the... Loire département).

OK, you've got me, is this not is the northern Rhone? Viognier the grape?

The Loire département is a government administrative category and does not correspond at all to the wine usage of the name. It's at the very southeast end of the river.

John Livingston-Learmonth has Grillet pegged as a notorious under-performer in his Rhone book. Wonder if that is still the case in recent years (the book was written some time ago)? Maybe we will see what the true potential is under the new ownership.

Grillet has for years had a reputation as an overpriced and underperforming. Perhaps that will change with the new ownership.

-Paul W.