2015 E. Reynaud, Pignan Réservé - Châteauneuf-du-Pape - 1 Bottle (0.75L)

One 75cl bottle of Château Rayas Pignan 2015; label and capsule in excellent condition.

Estate-bottled.

Shipped via UPS. Insured for full value.

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 was unafraid to break with 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 the small pine groves dotting 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 Châteaux Rayas and 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—contrasting with the clay and *galet* (rounded stone) soils typical of the rest of the appellation—impart great finesse to the wines. A northerly exposure helps retain freshness and allows for a much later harvest than elsewhere in the appellation. The vineyard is planted with Grenache for the red wines, and Grenache and Clairette for the whites. The vines are tended like a garden; the soil is lightly tilled to prevent grass from competing with the vines for water. Yields are exceptionally low, around 7.5 hectolitres per hectare.

Winemaking is described as low-intervention, with a desire to remain as true to the fruit as possible. Fermentation involves whole clusters, and the grapes are crushed; the barrels used are very old so as not to impart any oak influence to the wine. 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, red fruit aromas—particularly the highly distinctive note of crushed strawberries—and its incredibly fine tannins. The white wine, harvested at peak ripeness, reveals great aromatic complexity and remarkable aging potential.

About the cuvée
Located on the edge of the iconic Château Rayas estate, the Pignan plot possesses distinctive characteristics that undeniably contribute to the quality of its wines; for this reason, it is vinified separately. The soil is typical of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation but is richer in *galets* and clay. Distinctly different from other wines in the appellation, this Pignan red is breathtaking in its finesse and elegance. It offers a delicate yet complex nose. Yields are low. Little is known about the winemaking process, since for Emmanuel Reynaud, "Wine is simple: it is fruit in its element. That’s all."