1992 Château Rayas Côtes du Rhône Château de Fonsalette Cuvée Syrah

Community Tasting Notes (6) Avg Score: 93.8 points

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  3/21/2022 - coteamor wrote:

  Brawn, blood, brine, beef, black olives, ointment, just a touch of green then lavender as it unfolds through the evening.
  The colour is still so youthful and there is a tannic undertow to the wine but it is well balanced, has good acidity and is oh so savoury. Ash, blue fruit, brine again. This is old fashioned wine making done well, a wine with rigueur, an honesty to it, uncompromising. A moment that stands out in this day and age.
  
  The following day there is a wild element to the nose of tuberose or patchouli, I forget but that intoxicating scent of potpourri upon uncorking the bottle tempered with more air by red fruit and a seam or iron - quite magical on a picnic looking towards Reims in the distance over the vineyards of Cernay. Sun on my face, Spring round the corner. Definitely a hint of black tea which is also on the palette which has rounded out. What a singular expression of Syrah, so savoury it’s unreal. Thrilling, intellectual, mesmerising.

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  1/31/2022 - acyso wrote: 95 Points

  January Rhônes (Chicago, IL): Extremely smoky nose, with the smoke permeating all the way to the palate. Very elegant and lithe, with plenty of acidity and some drying red fruit. There's also quite a bit of green that runs through the wine, but I felt that this added rather than detracted: in fact, this was one of my favourite wines of the evening, though others found the green streak too distracting.

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  11/7/2015 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points

  Nose: The nose is gorgeous and savory with dark red cherries, olive tapenade, violets, leather, and black pepper. There is excellent depth with a very elegant base to it.
  
  Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and silky tannins. There is a real deftness to the feel with layering and balanced along with dark red cherries, raspberries, black pepper, and some olive tapenade.
  
  Overall: This is gorgeous and refined. It took about a half hour to get going and was everything one would want from aged Syrah.

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  11/7/2014 - HonorAmerica wrote: 95 Points

  Funky, funky nose. Still tasting some fruit, but in a dusty way. Very complex. Outstanding wine.

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  4/11/2014 - pbaek wrote:

  Ah, funky nose with lots of farm aromas and 'dirt' in the good way. Quite tight the first few hours after decanting but opens up beautifully to a palate of dark and dusty red fruit, smoke and mushy flavors. Very complex without being a heavyweight or anything. The best Syrah money can buy in the Southern Rhone and a real treat. At 28-50 Marylebone.

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