Chateau Grillet sold to Francois Pinault

French billionaire Francois Pinault has bought the much coveted Chateau Grillet, the only wine estate in the Rhone Valley that forms its own wine-growing AOC. Pinault, who owns Chateau Latour in Pauillac and Domaine d’Eugenie in Burgundy, alongside auction house Christie’s and Rennes football club, bought the estate from Isabelle Baratin-Canet, whose family has owned Chateau Grillet since 1830.

Grillet the appellation is only 3.8 hectares and produces white wine from 100% Viognier grapes. Its located next door to Condrieu which is also an exclusively white wine appellation producing Viognier. But the taste profile of Gillet wines is said to be quite different to Condrieu and closer to Chardonnays from the Cote d'Or in Burgundy.