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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.4 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 15 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by acyso on 11/10/2022 & rated 90 points: "The mind is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Chicago, IL): I actually thought this was the best of the Fonsalette syrah lineup, for better or worse. I really like the intensity of the black fruit here, but this wine lacks the saline component of a good northern Rhone; it drinks a little foursquare, if I'm being totally honest. Plenty of fruit here, but this lacks the lift and excitement that syrah can really bring out. (1607 views) | | | Tasted by ludwigbpm on 5/12/2022 & rated 93 points: Sans notes (990 views) | | | Tasted by Mazy on 8/16/2020 & rated 92 points: Ouvert à l'horizontale (mais finalement il y a peu de lies et elles sont très fines) puis carafé 3 heures. L'aération lui permet de devenir un peu plus digeste et moins costaud. Ça demeure une Syrah de puissance, chocolatée, sur les fruits noirs avec une longue finale poivrée. Le nez évoque quelques arômes du domaine, un peu difficile à décrire, très beau. Le vin pourrait à mon avis être gardé encore longtemps en cave. (1708 views) | | | Tasted by rottcodd on 2/14/2020 & rated 95 points: Popped and poured. Took a few minutes to warm and put on weight. Without a doubt, one of the best Syrah wines I've ever had. (1751 views) | | | Tasted by Loren Sonkin on 10/15/2014 & rated 95 points: Lots of Syrahs - Nate M visits Cleveland (A Restaurant Downtown): Just a gorgeous wine and expression of Syrah. Perhaps I liked this best as it is more middle of the road in style (or maybe because I brought it ;-) ). The nose has black raspberries, slight smoke, bacon fat, black pepper. It certainly has many warm climate characteristics, but is not overblown in any way. On the palate, it is juicy with a great lush texture. Complex and layered as it expands in the glass, I think it has many years ahead of it. Beautiful wine. Not cheap but worth it. (5065 views) | | | Tasted by cardsandwine on 6/2/2013: Took some time to open, but when it did it showed the great pedigree of a Rayas wine. Inky color, earthy nose with pure and balanced fruit on the palate. (4940 views) | | | Tasted by brigcampbell on 1/26/2013: Dinner with Friends (FMIII in the OC): Super wine. Dark plum, spice, and a solid dose of white pepper. Great complexity. I went back for more of this one. (5350 views) | | | Tasted by ludwigbpm on 6/6/2011 & rated 93 points: Je croyais avoir affaire à un Châteauneuf tant la vinification me semble semblable et produit une Syrah riche et parfumé, qu'on croirait agrémentée de Grenache. Un vin sérieux, qui ne tente pas d'en faire trop, mais se laisse boire avec une facilité déconcertante. (5547 views) | | | Tasted by thirstyman on 4/21/2011: decanted and poured a taste. Definately syrah, but the nose was still tight and slowly opened all night. Hints of herbs but focused on the floral side of things. Smooth to drink, but still just a bit tight. Try again in a year or two. (5123 views) | | | Tasted by pvd420 on 5/2/2010 & rated 94 points: Meaty, almost sappy in quality. Young but expressive. (3508 views) | | | Tasted by mdonovan on 2/10/2010 & rated 82 points: spicy and tasteful (2718 views) | | | Tasted by jwwinec on 10/14/2009: Yup, it's young. Still, the aromatics are beautiful, very floral and loaded with herbs and meat. Velvety texture, very elegant but finishes with very fine grippy tannins. Terrific. (2642 views) |
| By Jeb Dunnuck
JebDunnuck.com, Issue #14 (12/18/2012)
(Château Rayas Côtes du Rhône Château de Fonsalette Cuvée Syrah) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, January/February 2007, IWC Issue #130
(Chateau Rayas Chateau de Fonsalette Syrah Cotes du Rhone) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JebDunnuck.com and Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Château Rayas Producer website - Read more about Chateau Rayas
Robert Parker "Vine of the Rhône Valley"
"No one would suspect that inside the drab, unpainted building that houses Château Rayas (sitting unmarked at the end of a deteriorating dirt road in the appellation of Châteauneuf du Pape) are some of the world’s most distinctive wines.
The credit goes to Jacques Reynaud and his late father, Louis, who passed away in 1978. Jacques Reynaud (he reminds me of a cross between Dr. Seuss’s Grinch and Yoda from the Star Wars trilogy) is the brilliant, unassuming genius behind these wines, which are made from low yields from some of the oldest vines in the southern Rhône Valley. Reynaud is assisted by his sister, Françoise, who is cut from the same eccentric mold as her brother.
Château Rayas is the antithesis of modern-day winemaking. No stainless steel, no temperature controls, no new oak, and no oenologists are to be found in the Rayas cellar, which contains a hodgepodge of barrels, demi-muids, and foudres. The stories I could tell about Jacques Reynaud could fill a book, but behind his decidedly antifame, anti-twentieth century facade is an extremely well-read gentleman with exceptional knowledge and a love of many things, including fine food, as I discovered over several meals with him at the nearby La Beaugravière.
Getting precise information on what goes on at Château Rayas is not an easy task. Despite having visited and tasted with Reynaud more than a dozen times during the last decade, I still have not figured out what magic takes place in these cellars. Given the extraordinary quality that emerges in the finest years, I can live without the answers. We have gotten to know each other reasonably well, and I will convey a few stones to give readers a glimpse of Reynaud’s impish character. Early in my tasting experience with him, I became irritated after tasting through four different barrels without Reynaud’s saying one word about what was in each barrel.
Finally, I asked what we were tasting. His response was, “You’re the expert. You tell me.” Another example of his sense of humor emerged over dinner at La Beaugravière while we were sharing a magnificent bottle of Chave Hermitage. I asked him whom he admired the most. His deadly serious response was, “You.”
Syrah Varietal article (Wikipedia) | (Wines Northwest)
Note that some producers in the Northern Rhone distinguish between simply Syrah and "Serine", the latter described as ‘an ancient clone of Syrah, the berries of which are more oval-shaped and less deeply pigmented than Syrah’ by producer Tardieu-Laurent. France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comRhône Guide to the wines, wineries and appellations in the Rhone Valley The Rhône Valley/Le Vins de la Vallée du Rhône (Comité Interprofession des vins AOC Côtes et vallée du Rhône)
### Wine Scholar Guild's Rhône valley vintage charts & ratings ###Southern Rhône Guide to the wines, wineries and appellations in the Southern Rhone Valley
Côtes du Rhône Côtes du Rhône (Wikipedia) |
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