2015 Château Rayas Reservé - 教皇新堡法定產區 - 1 Bottle (0.75L)

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

Estate-bottled.

Shipped via UPS. Fully insured.

About the estate
Château Rayas is indisputably one of France's greatest wines, generally regarded as 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 at the helm of Rayas and Fonsalette in 1997. 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 *galets* (rounded river stones) 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 wine, and Grenache and Clairette for the white. The vines are tended like a garden, with the soil lightly cultivated 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 as possible to the fruit; whole-cluster fermentation is used, and the grapes are crushed. Very old barrels are employed to ensure the wine is not marked by oak influence. The wines age at the estate and are only released for sale 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-grained tannins. The white wine, harvested at peak ripeness, reveals great aromatic complexity and remarkable aging potential.

About the cuvée
A distinctive feature of this Châteauneuf-du-Pape is its blend, which is overwhelmingly dominated by the Grenache grape—accounting for approximately 98%. By prioritizing low yields (barely 18 hectolitres per hectare), the winemaker allows the exceptional terroir to express itself: the sandy soil lacks the famous bed of *galets* typical of the appellation (Louis Reynaud reportedly removed them... by hand!). Fermentation takes place in concrete vats, and the wine is aged for 20 months in old oak barrels. In great vintages, Château Rayas achieves remarkable richness and suppleness. Extraordinary aromas of cherry and raspberry characterize this wine, which possesses a level of finesse and power unmatched within the appellation. Also noteworthy is the production of a second wine, Château Pignan, which is of impeccable quality.