1988 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve

Community Tasting Notes (56) Avg Score: 94.4 points

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  3/22/2024 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points

  As stunning as the previous bottle, this gem popped with its complex aromatic profile, easily displaying its flowers, spice, citrus, herbs, cherries, and black raspberries. The wine remains fresh, almost zesty with a peppery edge to the herb, and kirsch-packed finish. This is a beauty! Drink from 2024-2032.

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  9/25/2023 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points

  It took a while, but, clearly, it was worth the wait. The nose was gorgeous with its kirsch, raspberry, garrigue, rose petal, and assorted, dried, green herbs. The palate was its equal with its vibrant, lively, earthy, red berry, cherry, strawberry, and spice character, length, balance, and energy. There is no need to wait, or decant, just pop, pour, and enjoy the thrilling ride. Drink from 2023-2030.

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  7/26/2023 - Wine Canuck wrote: 95 Points

  A few epic bottles in July: This pours light garnet in the glass with light bricking. The nose is massively complex and mature showing a lovely profile that unfurls while tasting: sweet cedary undergrowth, brown mushroom, brine, black olive, dried lavender, animal fur, wet churned soil, peanut shell, burlap, and pickle. The palate is deep and rich, showing expansive cherry. Tannin is medium minus and acid is medium. The finish closes nicely showing some the CdP origins with elevated ripeness and alcohol poking through a tad. All in all this is a very nice Rayas, and definitely better than my previous bottle of the '88.

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  9/23/2022 - Wine Canuck wrote: 93 Points

  Montreal 2022; 9/23/2022-9/25/2022 (Montreal): This pours light ruby in the glass with light bricking. The nose is of roasted plum, tobacco, black olive, baked cherry, burned herbs, and very ripe strawberry. The palate replays the roasted fruit profile on display here with medium minus dusty tannin and medium minus acid. The finish is somewhat clipped with an iron note turning up. Decent but I do have to admit it's just a bit of a disappointment considering the life changing experiences I've had with Rayas. If tasted blind I would call this Chateauneuf-du-Pape from a good producer in a warm year, but I'm not sure this takes me straight to Rayas.

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  12/7/2021 - AValdes Likes this wine: 95 Points

  Just a great bottle. Beautifully performed. All integrated. No funk or imbalance. Just delicious.

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