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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 95.2 pts. and median of 95 pts. in 126 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 3/22/2024 & rated 100 points: One of the great vintages of Rayas is still on top of its game. Full, deep, and intense, the wine opens with garrigue, peppery herbs, kirsch, flowers, smoked herbs, and spice. The vibrant palate is long, seamless, and fresh, delivering non-stop, seamless layers of sweet, ripe kirsch. Drink from 2024-2038. (1181 views) | | | Tasted by fclarity on 10/27/2023 & rated 94 points: Rich and ripe with moderate tannins and crisp acidity. However, it was a bit overripe and thick. Nice but not great. (1162 views) | | | Tasted by MC2 Wines on 11/16/2022: La Tablee: Rayas Dinner with Gregory Castells & Martine Saunier (La Mercerie): The standout for me among the last set of wines. At this point it's starting to have a decent amount of age and while I think this wine could go for a lot longer it's definitely starting to get a hint more secondary and developed. Clean and fresh and berries and almost a minty style to it. Lots of herbs and tea leaves. Drinking very nicely. (2571 views) | | | Tasted by Corgi on 10/23/2022 & rated 97 points: Harmony and elegance in the glass. Perfection. (2028 views) | | | Tasted by dream on 10/21/2022 & rated 94 points: This somewhat controversial vintage of Rayas was showing quite youthfully last night with great purity and freshness. This is not nearly as ripe and exotic as the great '89 & '90 and not as broad across the palate. Rather, its more compact and linear yet still shows the wonderfully exotic ripe red fruit of this great wine. It really improved in the glass even after a 2-hour decant. The finish is so taut and fine but it's a vintage that requires attention to perceive its purity and refinement and it may still improve and be very long-lived. 94+ (2243 views) | | | Tasted by Burgnick on 6/9/2022 & rated 93 points: The 95 Rayas ia a wine that I have not understood why its a RP100. The wine has medicine, lychee wood, dark fruit and herbs. Palate shows strong core dark fruit with good length. But its missing the elegance of some of the better Rayas vintages. (2733 views) | | | Tasted by joshabramson on 2/16/2022 flawed bottle: Bottle had suffered from heat damage. Devastating to pour this one down the drain! Sadly I've experienced this several times now with bottles of older Rayas, I suppose people just weren't always as careful with them back in the day when they didn't cost thousands of dollars. (2827 views) | | | Tasted by englishman's claret on 8/10/2021 & rated 93 points: 1995 seems to be something of a butch vintage for Rayas; it’s a bit of a brute, missing out on the Burgundian elegance sometimes delivered. Not that the black cherry, anise character isn’t to like. Perhaps it will smooth out with time… (3468 views) | | | Tasted by Eric on 3/31/2021: M&PD Zoom Tasting: White Burgundy & Red CDP (Zoom): Sharp. Wow, raspberry and cherry laser. Filling out increasingly. This is remarkable, pure, pine, menthol, a truly unique flavor. I guess we can sum this up as "Rayas is Rayas." (3581 views) | | | Tasted by tinybubbles on 9/17/2020 & rated 94 points: Just beginning to show. Full fruit but very much in control. Appealing palate texture. Requires more bottle age to develop its full complexity. 94+ (3319 views) | | | Tasted by Eric on 7/18/2020 & rated 98 points: Dinner on the deck (Seattle, WA): OMFG. Rayas. Wow. This was an explosive laser of white pepper, pine, cherry and raspberry. Utterly balanced, intense, electric and delicious. There is CDP, there is Grenache, and then there is Rayas. Wow this was Rayas! (3918 views) | | | Tasted by Burgnick on 6/23/2020 & rated 93 points: The 95 Rayas is still incredibly young. The nose exihibited lychee wood, cassis, incense and garrigue. Structured and powerful. It will benefit from further cellaring to unfold that layer of silkiness and sweetness that are found in many good vintages of Rayas. (3041 views) | | | Tasted by tinybubbles on 1/21/2020 & rated 94 points: Rich dark red fruit. Ripe berries. Good depth here but still quite a primary wine. Air time encouraged it to open up somewhat, but this really requires another decade in the bottle. Should develop great aromatics with time. 94+ (2929 views) | | | Tasted by overkloud on 12/14/2019 & rated 99 points: This is probably the wine of the year for me!
The wine started to sing right from the bottle, incredibly young. It comes with cherry, and layers of spices in the background, signature delicacy and balance of Rayas. It stays that way for the entire 3.5 hours of the dinner. (2678 views) | | | Tasted by Elpaninaro on 12/10/2019: medium young red color, wild berries and game on nose infused with mineral sparks, forest notes, on the palate fiery with firm tannins still developing, venison, bursting cherries, underbrush, fine length, lively and very young- far less developed than the 2003 recently tasted, the real thrill of a mature Rayas is yet to come- but today was a great day to check in on this beauty, this could be quite a long-lived vintage.
(****)+, 2025-2045 (2425 views) | | | Tasted by hprphf on 12/10/2019 & rated 94 points: Acker BYO 2019 (Tribecal Grill): Super clean, nice green flirt and sweetness. Too light without depth. 94 (2466 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 11/20/2019 & rated 100 points: The best bottle of this I have ever tasted! Perhaps it's due to reaching maturity at 25 years of age, or maybe the cork was perfect. The provenance was right as I have held this since close to release. Regardless, from start to finish, this was heart-stopping! The wealth of cherries, ranging from white, to red to black, coupled with sweet plums, soaking in kirsch on the nose and palate was gorgeous. But it is the incredible purity of the fruit, the elegance, refinement, length and persistence, with a seamless, silky, 60 second finish that carried it across the triple-digit goal post. Wines like this define what great wines are all about. (5348 views) | | | Tasted by dream on 9/24/2019 & rated 94 points: This wine continues to mature at a snails pace and it still has a hard edge to go along with a rich and tangy texture and developing complexity. Has that classic Rayas wild and wooly (as in animalistic) note with excellent intensity and fabulous kirsch cherry fruit along with good acidity and grip. With lots of air it opened up some and became more voluminous and saturated. The finish is crunchy and complex with notes of minerals and wild game. (2093 views) | | | Tasted by yuti1225 on 8/23/2019 & rated 94 points: Dark plum, spice with some smoke, leather and licorice with earth tone. Concentrated yet very pure and balanced, even hint of honey (not really sweet of course). Still need few more years I guess! 94pt (1917 views) | | | Tasted by Vini Ciclismo on 8/17/2019 & rated 97 points: A perfect bottle and cork.
Vibrant red, lustrous.
Perfect clean pure red berries and dark spice.
Silky, supple, poised, amazing structure. Refined yet intensely flavoured, dark fruits, dark spice and a lighter red berry brightness. A classic but more elegantly structured chateauneuf. (1907 views) | | | Tasted by _water.into.wine_ on 4/1/2019 & rated 95 points: The nose is sublime. Rayas does it like no other. And on the palate, such balance. This is in a great spot now and so approachable. Definitely not worth the current price tag in any way shape or form, but a great wine if you are able to ignore that. Sit back and enjoy. Drank with SW, SM to celebrate SK and CC (2384 views) | | | Tasted by davidjpearlman@gmail.com on 2/22/2019 & rated 97 points: Still thinking about this nine days later. Nose, body, complexity, ripeness all wonderful and harmonious. One of eight excellent wines that evening and by far the best. (2281 views) | | | Tasted by BradE on 1/26/2019: A sub-par bottle. I disliked it intensely, others thought it okay. (2527 views) | | | Tasted by Naplesgolfer on 12/16/2018 & rated 98 points: Decanted and Aired for 30-45 min. It should be 2-3 hrs based on passed experience. ( we where Thirsty!!) Wonderful balanced wine. Pure and silky red berry fruits. Hints of tapenade and pepper. Just great. (2469 views) | | | Tasted by _water.into.wine_ on 6/23/2018 & rated 96 points: Drank alongside a 99 Rayas. Personally, I preferred the 99s nose, which seemed to have more more vibrancy and kick, with this being much more subtle. Mint leaves were the lasting memory alongside the fruits of cherries. On the palatte, this was so balanced, an absolute delight, and so easy to drink. This was a big step up from the 99 in terms of actual drinking pleasure, albeit definitely more subtle in nature.
This was so much better than any CNDP I have ever tried in my life; what an incredible bottle of wine.
Drank at SWs open house. (3228 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Neal Martin
Vinous, Written in the Stars: Bordeaux 1865-2020 (Dec 2023) (12/1/2023)
(Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, May/Jun 2017, Issue #69, Recently- Tasted Rhône Wines
(Châteauneuf du Pape- Château Rayas) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (3/3/2016)
(Ch Rayas Châteauneuf-du-pape Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jeb Dunnuck
JebDunnuck.com, The Rhone Rangers of California, Issue #2 (1/11/2009)
(Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve) Login and sign up and see review text. | By John Kapon
Vintage Tastings, A Double Dose of Angry Man Action (3/7/2005)
(Rayas) Login and sign up and see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Bonus Articles, Château Rayas: Châteauneuf’s Iconoclast to the Last (Spring 2000- Updated December 2003)
(Château Rayas) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (11/30/2004)
(Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve) 1995 Chateauneuf du Papes Blindtasted: Group's #8, my #10, 140.5 pts. - odd, sweet, dusty, overripe fruit nose; intriguing tart berry and cherry palate; medium finish 92+ points 92 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (8/26/2004)
(Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve) Sexy nose, chocolate, caramel; plum, boysenberry, chocolate, caramel palate, with resolved tannins; medium-plus finish 97 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (5/25/2003)
(Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve) Beautiful Rayas nose; great cherry and boysenberry flavors, kirsch, seductive fruit; great long finish 95 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and View From the Cellar and JancisRobinson.com and JebDunnuck.com and Vintage Tastings and RJonWine.com. (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.”
Grenache Varietal character (Appellation America) - Read more about GrenacheReserve The Wine News | Wine Country This Week | Wine Lover's PageFrance 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
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Châteauneuf-du-Pape Appellation - Read more about Chateauneuf du Pape
Another site on this appellation
Vineyards on weinlagen-info
"As I have written many times in the past, the sweet spot for drinking Châteauneuf du Papes is usually the first 5-6 years after the vintage. Then they seem to go through an adolescent, awkward, and sometimes dormant stage, only to re-emerge around year 10-12, where the majority of wines are often fully mature. The best of them will continue to hold on to life (but rarely improving) beyond 15-20 years. It is only the exceptional Châteauneuf du Papes that will evolve for 20-25+ years, and those are indeed a rarity. However, things may be improving dramatically in terms of the longevity of Châteauneuf du Pape, although Grenache-dominated wines, the vast majority of wines produced in the appellation, are wines that do not have the polyphenol (extract and tannin) content of top Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots, or Syrah-based wines. Nevertheless, the younger generation in Châteauneuf du Pape has taken seriously the farming in the vineyards. There are more organic and biodynamically run vineyards here than in any other appellation of France. The yields, which were already low, are even lower today (20-35 hectoliters per hectare), and of course, the proliferation of top luxury and/or old-vine cuvées gives a significant boost to the number of wines that will evolve past 25 or 30 years. The advantage of these wines is their broad window of drinkability." - Robert Parker
Vintage Chart 1978 to Today
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