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Château-Grillet 2012

RegionRhône
Subregion France > Rhône > Northern Rhône > Château Grillet
ColourWhite
TypeStill
Grape VarietyViognier

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Tasting Notes

The first vintage that the Pinault family had complete control over in one of the smallest (just under eight acres) single monopole vineyards in the world, Château Grillet, in the heart of the Northern Rhône Valley - the south-facing amphitheater essentially enclosed in the nearby bigger appellation of Condrieu. The 2012 Château Grillet was a brilliant wine, showing terrific minerality, citrus and subtle but nuanced tropical fruits as well as great length, precision and focus. (I have been persona non grata at Château Grillet for more than 30 years because of my criticism of the mediocre quality that existed under the previous ownership, but that has all changed in the hands of François Pinault and his administrator Frédéric Engerer).

95
Robert Parker, Hedonists Gazette, February 2016

The first vintage where winemaker Alessandro Noli had full control, the 2012 Chateau Grillet is a brilliant release that has another level of purity and density in its granite-like minerality, buttered peach, honeysuckle and white flower-driven bouquet. Big, rich, medium to full-bodied and mouth-filling, it's also chiseled and delineated, and never puts a foot wrong. Enjoy this blockbuster anytime over the coming 5-7 years, although I see no need to delay either.

94
Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate (222), December 2015

A top Condrieu, the 2012 Condrieu La Grillette sees just under two years in new demi-muids. It’s a rock-star bottle of Condrieu that offers up thrilling notes of brioche, white peach, tangerine and liquid rock in its full-bodied, concentrated, layered, yet brilliantly pure and focused personality. Despite the modern élevage, it has a classic feel and is a joy to drink.

94
Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate (216), December 2014
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.