Château de la Grille

About Château de la Grille

Château de la Grille is a producer in the Chinon appellation of Touraine, in France’s Loire Valley. Its name is associated with an estate vineyard in a region that has long been important for red Loire wines. The house focuses above all on Chinon Rouge from Cabernet Franc, the variety that finds one of its clearest French expressions here: aromatic, fresh and more refined than forceful.

Chinon surrounds the Vienne river shortly before it joins the Loire. The appellation includes gravel terraces, clay soils and limestone slopes, often with tuffeau limestone beneath the surface. This mosaic accounts for the many expressions of Chinon. Warmer, sheltered slopes generally bring riper fruit and more structure, while cooler or stonier sites emphasise tension, herbal notes and firmer tannins. The climate is moderately continental, yet Atlantic influence helps preserve freshness.

Château de la Grille’s red wine belongs to the classic Chinon tradition. Cabernet Franc can offer raspberry, redcurrant and violet scents, alongside occasional leafy, peppery or graphite-like notes. On the palate, juicy red fruit, lively acidity and fine to assertive tannins are central. In youth, the wine may be particularly fruity and savoury; bottle age more often brings earthy, cedar and tobacco nuances. The point of the style is not sheer weight, but ripe fruit, drinkability and a clear sense of grape and place.

Chinon Rouge is the principal wine for which Château de la Grille is known. It is especially versatile at the table with dishes based on roast meat, mushrooms, lentils or herbs. Well-stored bottles can develop further in the cellar, although their ideal ageing period depends on the vintage, cuvée and storage conditions.

• Located in the Chinon appellation
• Cabernet Franc is the core variety
• Chinon lies on the Vienne near the Loire
• Limestone, clay and gravel shape local diversity
• Bottle age can bring cedar and earthy complexity