A late night grab off the list, just a brief decant before we all dug in. Needs WAY more air, and time! Jammed with crushed rocks and minerals...the pretty red berry, kirsch, rhubarb fruits had a hard time showing all its glory. Still signs of greatness...that translucent, sexy red color...floral and spicy nose of licorice, dried cherries/oranges, flowers, white pepper...super lifting blood orange acidity...little thin with all that crushed rock, vintage...and just a tad bit of heat which went in and out as white pepper and alc. You can tell how classy and singular this wine is...just needs more time or big air to really shine. A real treat when you get to try one none-the-less. +pts
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Internationale du Gout - Vertical series #1: Rayas dinner with Morrocan fusion food; 1/19/2024-1/20/2024 (Singapore): Matched against the '06 Rayas - this is a no-contest. Probably the flight showing the biggest gap. Not damning for the '11 as the '06 is a show-stopper. The style here however is truly Rayas including the captivating nose. This is on the younger side and should mature into an outstanding drink. For now there is discernible kirsch/cherry liquor betraying higher ripeness.
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[This flight included the 2011 Rayas Fonsalette, 2011 Rayas Pignan, and the 2011 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape] Unlike the 2010 CdP, the nose here was brighter and sweeter with ripe dark red fruit on the nose, strawberry and plum reduction, touch of balsamic. This seemed bigger and heftier on the palate, with a higher concentration of fruit. Palate of strawberry and rhubarb jam, spice cabinet of cloves and cinnamon, leather and a touch of cracked pepper. The fruit has just started to raisin, but comes off predominantly primary still. This still needs more time to develop further as it came off slightly weighty when compared to the ‘10. The potential is absolutely there, but my palate ended up favoring the '10 tonight. 96+
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Rayas / Pignan / Fonsalette / Tours Tasting (Scottsdale, Arizona USA): The star of today's epic tasting, graceful from the first sip. Bottle had been opened about 7 hours prior to serving, and was utterly complete. The magnificently exotic spices and subtle fruits reminded me a bit of a great old vintage of La La's. It was a bit shocking that 2011 is totally open for business, but that's the fact. 2010 will surely eclipse this one day, but that day might not be for many years. 2011 is the vintage to enjoy now and over the next several years. Wonderful, special stuff that gets my highest recommendation.
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Not sure I understood this wine at all. Brooding and aromatic, but with such heat and alcohol that the wine was completely without life. Totally out of balance and lacking energy / acidity. Perhaps a function of the wine being PnP.
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2/29/2024 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 93 Points
A late night grab off the list, just a brief decant before we all dug in. Needs WAY more air, and time! Jammed with crushed rocks and minerals...the pretty red berry, kirsch, rhubarb fruits had a hard time showing all its glory. Still signs of greatness...that translucent, sexy red color...floral and spicy nose of licorice, dried cherries/oranges, flowers, white pepper...super lifting blood orange acidity...little thin with all that crushed rock, vintage...and just a tad bit of heat which went in and out as white pepper and alc. You can tell how classy and singular this wine is...just needs more time or big air to really shine. A real treat when you get to try one none-the-less. +pts
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1/20/2024 - palfr2 wrote:
Internationale du Gout - Vertical series #1: Rayas dinner with Morrocan fusion food; 1/19/2024-1/20/2024 (Singapore): Matched against the '06 Rayas - this is a no-contest. Probably the flight showing the biggest gap. Not damning for the '11 as the '06 is a show-stopper. The style here however is truly Rayas including the captivating nose. This is on the younger side and should mature into an outstanding drink. For now there is discernible kirsch/cherry liquor betraying higher ripeness.
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1/5/2024 - Michael Hung Likes this wine:
[This flight included the 2011 Rayas Fonsalette, 2011 Rayas Pignan, and the 2011 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape]
Unlike the 2010 CdP, the nose here was brighter and sweeter with ripe dark red fruit on the nose, strawberry and plum reduction, touch of balsamic. This seemed bigger and heftier on the palate, with a higher concentration of fruit. Palate of strawberry and rhubarb jam, spice cabinet of cloves and cinnamon, leather and a touch of cracked pepper. The fruit has just started to raisin, but comes off predominantly primary still. This still needs more time to develop further as it came off slightly weighty when compared to the ‘10. The potential is absolutely there, but my palate ended up favoring the '10 tonight. 96+
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1/5/2024 - Alex G. Likes this wine:
Rayas / Pignan / Fonsalette / Tours Tasting (Scottsdale, Arizona USA): The star of today's epic tasting, graceful from the first sip. Bottle had been opened about 7 hours prior to serving, and was utterly complete. The magnificently exotic spices and subtle fruits reminded me a bit of a great old vintage of La La's. It was a bit shocking that 2011 is totally open for business, but that's the fact. 2010 will surely eclipse this one day, but that day might not be for many years. 2011 is the vintage to enjoy now and over the next several years. Wonderful, special stuff that gets my highest recommendation.
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11/3/2023 - nmmnori Does not like this wine: 84 Points
Not sure I understood this wine at all. Brooding and aromatic, but with such heat and alcohol that the wine was completely without life. Totally out of balance and lacking energy / acidity. Perhaps a function of the wine being PnP.
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