Château-Grillet

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 Alloboges 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.