Château-Grillet 2020

The 2020 Château-Grillet knocks it out of the park. Vinified from just-ripe fruit harvested between the 26th and 31st of August, it dazzles with outstanding purity and complexity. Fragrant linden blossom, chamomile and saffron mingle with white peach, apricot and cedar. Less oily and more delicate than in 2019, the 2020 Château-Grillet is built on finesse and intensity rather than power. Finely nuanced lemon peel, jasmine, melon and nutty hints add further layers to the delicious palate. The quintessential 2020 closes with an enticing phenolic grip on the lingering finish. 6,900 bottles produced.

Noticeably more oak than their Condrieu (10% new oak here), but this should settle - the score assumes that it will. Rounded, a touch of bubblegum to the jasmine and coconut fruits. Distinctly more saline than the other two wines in the range, it's voluminous but not heavy, with less alcohol than recent years, making for a nicely balanced vintage. Doesn't have the concentration and intensity of some recent vintages, but a very drinkable vintage of Château-Grillet with a long finish showing plentiful oak spice.