97+ Bottled just two weeks prior to my visit, the 2017 Chateau Grillet was still looking awfully good for having been fined, filtered and stuck into a confined space. It's a forward, opulent vintage, boasting flamboyant stone-fruit flavors dressed up with hints of jasmine and white pepper. While full-bodied and rich, it never seems heavy or oily, boasting a long, cool, refreshing finish. Wow! - JC

Complex aromas of honeysuckle, lemon verbena and citrus lead onto a full-bodied and fairly opulent palate. It begins richer than a typical vintage of Château-Grillet, but then on the finish it has that searing tension and vibrancy like a corset. Not as long and straight as the 2016, and more immediately aromatic and broader on the palate, but in many ways just as good. The alcohol is high but you don't notice it thanks to the intense salinity. (Drink between 2022-2031)