On this occasion, the 85 clearly surpassed the 78 Rayas with a delightfully ripe nose, arguably at its apogee and showing a griottine-like cherry liqueur note to complement the fresh pepper that fanned out on the palate. Until the pepper notes emerged with air, many of us mistook this for Chambolle or Volnay.
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A small gathering with COVID safety measures (Reston, Va): My contribution. Upon cutting the capsule, the cork is slightly raised at the edge which is worrisome. The color is way too dark, even this is a young Rayas. The clearly shows American oak, perhaps a Aussie shiraz mixed in. Bought at HA in 2014, what a shame!
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Tasted blind, this wine had a deep red center and red/orange rims. The medium+ intensity nose offered up black cherries, roses, and mineral dust.
I have consistently found that Rayas really needs air to show itself. This was true here again even with a 35 year old wine. It was rich and intense in the mouth with ripe tannins, crips acidity, and excellent length.
While this wine, to my taste, showed clay soil notes and didn't have the class of a truly great Burgundy or Bordeaux, the winemaking was awesome. While at its peak, this will last at this level for 10 years easy.
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Drank at Palais Coburg with Leanne and Josh to celebrate Leanne's 42nd Birthday.
Nose is super complex...soy, Asian spice, blood, cherry liquor, red flowers, minerals, incense, strawberry, cherry, raspberry and earth....explosive on the nose. The palate has such weight but balanced with great lift...you can see what a great vintage of Rayas is like opposite a leaner one or des tours or pignan...this has such balance and power. Classic iron fist in velvet glove. The palate has such life....this has been immaculately stored....can last another 20-30 years easy. A powerful cornucopia of red fruits....cherry, raspberry, Strawberry, pomegranate and blood orange rind....all mixed with incense, clove, star anise, white pepper, soy, ginger, blood, red flowers, minerals, and earth....wow... Finish is long....really long with waves of flavours....utterly stunning.
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Château Rayas Vertical Dinner (Rebelle): Nose is concentrated with youthful but dry red and black berry fruit. This feels powerful but reserved. Nose opens considerably with air time and is far more expressive. Palate is very lively with striking juice. Delicious.
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Wow. Super fresh and clean. Light and airy. Red fruits, charcoal, spices. This also has less spice and more strawberry and red fruit. Amazing balance and energy. In a great spot.
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Rayas Rayas Rayas (Rebelle): Amazing how intense this was for a wine that is 32 years old. Lots of deep fruit. Lower acidity. A hint more alcohol. If I drank this blind I would have assumed a fairly young wine actually. Many years to go and would be fun to see it again in another 20-30 years (crazy, but I think that's possible).
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Chateau Rayas Vertical Dinner (Rebelle, NY, NY): #16/17 - Another beauty in this line-up. A stinky (in a good way) barnyard nose and lovely mature and integrated palate. Less fruit more earth and herbs, but complex with a nice finish. Seems like this is ready to drink now and am not sure this will continue to improve.
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Rayas and friends: Kirsch, licocrice, some light herbs, tar and violets - as it sits in the glass the floral perfume just lifts and lifts. Beautifully refined on the palate, the medium-light body just flows superbly. A brilliant wine that would be wine of the night on most occasions, except tonight!
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Leroy, Unico, Rayas, Ravenau and etc (Washington DC): I drank a bottle of the 85 Rayas a couple years back and rated in the high 90s. This was served as a nightcap. Bright red fruits, cherry liquor, garrique, dry cherry, close and allspice. Excellent concentration, chewy yet silky palate, good acidity and fully integrated tannins. Very enjoyable.
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2012 - Gary's wine bash! (Jade Palace Seafood Restaurant, The Forum Shopping Mall, Orchard Road): Alcohol :: 14% Bottle breathing for 2.5hrs. Vibrant ruby core and light garnet hue. It displays high tone sweet candy note at the beginning and getting milder with more air and follow by truly seductive sweet dark fruits, dried fig, kirsch, autumn leave. I especially love the exotic spiciness here, along with light note of rose syrup and earth all sum up to a highly complex and aromatic profile. Medium - full bodied and oh my, the liveliness is top notch, fresh as a daisy. This tasted so young for a 85, vibrant, tons of sweet dark and red fruits, autumn leaves, dried extract and solid but polished structure. This has a light savoriness, meatiness and seductive spiciness lingering around the mouth and the firm tannin giving incredible grip on the palate. It keeps growing on the palate with great power and intensity yet light on its feet, all about finesse and class. Ethereal finish. This wine is still on it's way up.
The remaining wine from the bottle still drinking well the next day, with even better nuances. I know it now what's the difference between Jacques Reynaud & post JR era and JR is truly a legend. 95-96+
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The intoxicating, complex perfume of pure kirsch, fresh raspberry, pepper, earth, red plum liqueur, cherry blossoms and the equivalent of shoving your nose in an over-stuffed spice box drawer, makes it close to impossible to stop enjoying the aromas and taste the wine. The textures are pure silk and velvet with that unique exotic, and little bit of kinkiness that is only found in the top vintages of Rayas. Medium bodied, (Rayas is never about power) with a beautiful purity of spicy, ripe and over ripe red fruits, this is drinking at peak maturity. Fortunately, I still have one bottle left. I'll probably pop it when the wine hits 30, as I want to retain as much fruit and freshness as possible.
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My first experience with the 85 from a US sourced bottle. A fully mature textbook CnP. Not as farmey as I would expect but lots of sweet cherry liqueur and a bit of leather. Not a big wine but makes a statement in subtlety and balance for this varietal. If this bottle was indicative then I would suggest drinking these now rather than risking decline.
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Dinner with Herwig Janssen (Blue Duck Tavern): Unbelievable complex nose offering fruit and earth. Super rich and delicious, great balance – such a complete wine with a great finish.
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Raid the Cellar Party at BWB. WOTN for me and a number of people. There is just so much complexity going on here it's amazing. I could drink this every night. Seriously, if I didn't have any other wines I'd be happy drinking this EVERY night!!!!
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Old note from 1994. 20/20 Very intense wine just starting to unfold. Pepper, licorice, tobacco, leather. Grenache character. Concentrated, full-bodied, fruit spices and animal tones. Great!
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With Kathy, Michael Lehmann, Brett Raven, and Diane at our house. (The wine was served blind to our guests.) Medium ruby. Rather light. Nose is reticent, but with Chateauneuf-du-Pape character. In the mouth, somewhat bitter. Good fruit though. OK, but a disappointment. 5-10-15-7: 87/100.
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2/10/2024 - MauriceE wrote:
Stunning, a point, in a very sweet spot. Still has fruit, but also the balance when all components have melted together. Grand vin.
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12/16/2022 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Smells old and muaty on the nose but the palate is so supple and soft and smooth. Beautiful red berry fruit and so supple and long.
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8/10/2021 - englishman's claret wrote: 95 Points
On this occasion, the 85 clearly surpassed the 78 Rayas with a delightfully ripe nose, arguably at its apogee and showing a griottine-like cherry liqueur note to complement the fresh pepper that fanned out on the palate. Until the pepper notes emerged with air, many of us mistook this for Chambolle or Volnay.
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9/24/2020 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ripe and jammy with some soil undertones. Defined with reasonable structure.
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7/2/2020 - dcwino wrote: flawed
A small gathering with COVID safety measures (Reston, Va): My contribution. Upon cutting the capsule, the cork is slightly raised at the edge which is worrisome. The color is way too dark, even this is a young Rayas. The clearly shows American oak, perhaps a Aussie shiraz mixed in. Bought at HA in 2014, what a shame!
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12/14/2019 - theharve wrote: 98 Points
Best CDP I've ever had. At peak and no signs of old age.
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12/8/2019 - fclarity wrote: 95 Points
Tasted blind, this wine had a deep red center and red/orange rims. The medium+ intensity nose offered up black cherries, roses, and mineral dust.
I have consistently found that Rayas really needs air to show itself. This was true here again even with a 35 year old wine. It was rich and intense in the mouth with ripe tannins, crips acidity, and excellent length.
While this wine, to my taste, showed clay soil notes and didn't have the class of a truly great Burgundy or Bordeaux, the winemaking was awesome. While at its peak, this will last at this level for 10 years easy.
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12/24/2018 - Dave Canada wrote: 98 Points
Drank at Palais Coburg with Leanne and Josh to celebrate Leanne's 42nd Birthday.
Nose is super complex...soy, Asian spice, blood, cherry liquor, red flowers, minerals, incense, strawberry, cherry, raspberry and earth....explosive on the nose.
The palate has such weight but balanced with great lift...you can see what a great vintage of Rayas is like opposite a leaner one or des tours or pignan...this has such balance and power. Classic iron fist in velvet glove.
The palate has such life....this has been immaculately stored....can last another 20-30 years easy. A powerful cornucopia of red fruits....cherry, raspberry, Strawberry, pomegranate and blood orange rind....all mixed with incense, clove, star anise, white pepper, soy, ginger, blood, red flowers, minerals, and earth....wow...
Finish is long....really long with waves of flavours....utterly stunning.
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6/2/2018 - patespo1 wrote: 99 Points
After 90 minutes of air, best wine I’ve had this year
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10/13/2017 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 93 Points
Château Rayas Vertical Dinner (Rebelle): Nose is concentrated with youthful but dry red and black berry fruit. This feels powerful but reserved. Nose opens considerably with air time and is far more expressive. Palate is very lively with striking juice. Delicious.
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10/13/2017 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow. Super fresh and clean. Light and airy. Red fruits, charcoal, spices. This also has less spice and more strawberry and red fruit. Amazing balance and energy. In a great spot.
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10/12/2017 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Rayas Rayas Rayas (Rebelle): Amazing how intense this was for a wine that is 32 years old. Lots of deep fruit. Lower acidity. A hint more alcohol. If I drank this blind I would have assumed a fairly young wine actually. Many years to go and would be fun to see it again in another 20-30 years (crazy, but I think that's possible).
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10/12/2017 - retired_and_roving Likes this wine:
Chateau Rayas Vertical Dinner (Rebelle, NY, NY): #16/17 - Another beauty in this line-up. A stinky (in a good way) barnyard nose and lovely mature and integrated palate. Less fruit more earth and herbs, but complex with a nice finish. Seems like this is ready to drink now and am not sure this will continue to improve.
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9/7/2017 - tinybubbles wrote:
Uncharacteristically dark and primary. Dark soil, licorice, and slumbering dark spices.
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8/21/2015 - CamWheeler wrote: 94 Points
Rayas and friends: Kirsch, licocrice, some light herbs, tar and violets - as it sits in the glass the floral perfume just lifts and lifts. Beautifully refined on the palate, the medium-light body just flows superbly. A brilliant wine that would be wine of the night on most occasions, except tonight!
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11/24/2014 - BurgundyWineCompany Likes this wine: 95 Points
Sensational with short rib and polenta; harmonious, complex, a perfect Chateauneuf drinking well now but will last. 95.
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11/24/2012 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
Leroy, Unico, Rayas, Ravenau and etc (Washington DC): I drank a bottle of the 85 Rayas a couple years back and rated in the high 90s. This was served as a nightcap. Bright red fruits, cherry liquor, garrique, dry cherry, close and allspice. Excellent concentration, chewy yet silky palate, good acidity and fully integrated tannins. Very enjoyable.
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7/6/2012 - Sleepy Dave wrote: 95 Points
2012 - Gary's wine bash! (Jade Palace Seafood Restaurant, The Forum Shopping Mall, Orchard Road): Alcohol :: 14%
Bottle breathing for 2.5hrs. Vibrant ruby core and light garnet hue. It displays high tone sweet candy note at the beginning and getting milder with more air and follow by truly seductive sweet dark fruits, dried fig, kirsch, autumn leave. I especially love the exotic spiciness here, along with light note of rose syrup and earth all sum up to a highly complex and aromatic profile. Medium - full bodied and oh my, the liveliness is top notch, fresh as a daisy. This tasted so young for a 85, vibrant, tons of sweet dark and red fruits, autumn leaves, dried extract and solid but polished structure. This has a light savoriness, meatiness and seductive spiciness lingering around the mouth and the firm tannin giving incredible grip on the palate. It keeps growing on the palate with great power and intensity yet light on its feet, all about finesse and class. Ethereal finish. This wine is still on it's way up.
The remaining wine from the bottle still drinking well the next day, with even better nuances. I know it now what's the difference between Jacques Reynaud & post JR era and JR is truly a legend. 95-96+
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6/9/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
The intoxicating, complex perfume of pure kirsch, fresh raspberry, pepper, earth, red plum liqueur, cherry blossoms and the equivalent of shoving your nose in an over-stuffed spice box drawer, makes it close to impossible to stop enjoying the aromas and taste the wine. The textures are pure silk and velvet with that unique exotic, and little bit of kinkiness that is only found in the top vintages of Rayas. Medium bodied, (Rayas is never about power) with a beautiful purity of spicy, ripe and over ripe red fruits, this is drinking at peak maturity. Fortunately, I still have one bottle left. I'll probably pop it when the wine hits 30, as I want to retain as much fruit and freshness as possible.
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8/26/2011 - cortoncharlie wrote: 93 Points
My first experience with the 85 from a US sourced bottle. A fully mature textbook CnP. Not as farmey as I would expect but lots of sweet cherry liqueur and a bit of leather. Not a big wine but makes a statement in subtlety and balance for this varietal. If this bottle was indicative then I would suggest drinking these now rather than risking decline.
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12/5/2010 - madeiradog wrote: 96 Points
Dinner with Herwig Janssen (Blue Duck Tavern): Unbelievable complex nose offering fruit and earth. Super rich and delicious, great balance – such a complete wine with a great finish.
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6/8/2007 - G SQUARED wrote: 100 Points
Raid the Cellar Party at BWB. WOTN for me and a number of people. There is just so much complexity going on here it's amazing. I could drink this every night. Seriously, if I didn't have any other wines I'd be happy drinking this EVERY night!!!!
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12/24/1994 - vagrantone Likes this wine: 100 Points
Old note from 1994. 20/20
Very intense wine just starting to unfold.
Pepper, licorice, tobacco, leather. Grenache character.
Concentrated, full-bodied, fruit spices and animal tones.
Great!
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5/16/1990 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 87 Points
With Kathy, Michael Lehmann, Brett Raven, and Diane at our house. (The wine was served blind to our guests.) Medium ruby. Rather light. Nose is reticent, but with Chateauneuf-du-Pape character. In the mouth, somewhat bitter. Good fruit though. OK, but a disappointment. 5-10-15-7: 87/100.
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