One 75cl bottle of Château Rayas Blanc 2014; label and capsule in excellent condition. Estate-bottled. Shipped via UPS. About the estate Château Rayas is indisputably one of France's greatest wines, generally considered the finest in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. The estate was established in the late 18th century by Albert Reynaud (with vines planted in the early 1920s), who did not hesitate to break away from the practices typically followed in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Indeed, in a region traditionally scorched by the summer sun, part of the vineyard faces north, and the vines benefit from the cooling influence of small pine groves scattered across the estate. Albert's son, Louis Reynaud, focused primarily on a single grape variety—Grenache—whereas the appellation permits thirteen; he was also the one who decided to bottle production at the estate and acquired Château des Tours in the late 1930s, placing his son Bernard in charge of it. Later, in 1945, he also acquired Château de Fonsalette. In 1978, Jacques Reynaud (Bernard's brother) took over the management of Château Rayas and Château de Fonsalette. Finally, the current owner, Emmanuel Reynaud—Jacques's nephew, who had already been managing Château des Tours near Sarrians since 1989—succeeded him in 1997 at the helm of Rayas and Fonsalette. Emmanuel Reynaud has six children of his own, three of whom work at his estates. Château Rayas spans 12 hectares surrounded by forest and boasts a unique terroir. Its particularly poor, sandy soils—distinct from the clay and pebble soils typical of the rest of the appellation—impart great finesse to the wines. A northerly exposure helps preserve freshness and allows for a much later harvest than elsewhere in the appellation. The vineyard is planted with Grenache for the red wine, and Grenache and Clairette for the white. The vines are tended with garden-like precision; the soil is lightly cultivated to prevent grass from competing with the vines for water. Yields are exceptionally low, averaging around 7.5 hectolitres per hectare. Winemaking practices are minimally interventionist, driven by a desire to remain as true as possible to the fruit. Fermentation involves whole clusters, and the grapes are crushed; very old barrels are used to ensure the wine remains untainted by oak flavors. The wines are aged at the estate and released for sale only after several years. The Château Rayas red is world-renowned for its delicacy, depth, and aromas of red fruit—particularly the instantly recognizable note of crushed strawberries—as well as its exceptionally fine tannins. The white wine, harvested at peak ripeness, displays great aromatic complexity and remarkable aging potential. About the cuvée Made from Grenache and Clairette, the Château Rayas white wine is aged in barrels for nine months. Powerful, well-rounded, and highly concentrated, it boasts significant aging potential.