Wine Advisor
Rayas, Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve 2005
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Jeb Dunnuck
Showing the more structured, savory and austere side of the vintage, the 2005 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape will be 20-30 year wine. Offering up lots of darker fruits, gunpowder, ground pepper, truffles and licorice, it has full-bodied richness, a beautiful texture and no shortage of tannin or acid, both of which make themselves known on the finish. This is a wine to hide in the cellar for at least another 4-5 years, and it will still be going strong in 2030+. I don't see this matching the 1995 or 2007, but it's not far off.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
I could not resist retasting the 2005 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape. Until the 2007 is in bottle, the 2005 is clearly the greatest wine made at this estate since the 1995. Made from 100% Grenache, it boasts an unusually (for Rayas) dark ruby/purple-tinged color as well as an exceptionally sweet bouquet of black cherry jam, truffles, incense, licorice, and raspberries. Full-bodied with a stunningly rich, concentrated mouthfeel, an explosive mid-palate, and a finish that lasts more than a minute, it is a wine of superb power and intensity admirably displaying the terroir’s hallmark delicacy and ethereal nature. This utterly profound Chateauneuf du Pape should drink beautifully for 25+ years. After going through a transitional period after Jacques Reynaud died in 1997, it is safe to say that his nephew, Emmanuel Reynaud, has returned this venerable estate to its previous level of high quality. While Chateauneuf du Pape is a warm appellation, Rayas is situated in a cool micro-climate, and is undoubtedly not an easy property to maintain. It is also known for its sandy soils, which are in total contrast to the rock-strewn plateau a half mile to the east, west, and south. Two utterly profound Rayas Chateauneuf du Papes have been produced recently, the 2005 and 2007. 2007 is a superb vintage at Chateau Rayas Importer: Martine’s Wines, Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Tasting the three different component parts that go into the 2005 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape, they all seem to have moderate ruby color and wonderfully sweet, captivating/seductive notes of framboise and kirsch with floral and balsam wood notes. The wine has some sweetness on the attack, medium body, crisp acidity, and austere tannins in the finish. This wine should be somewhat in the style of the 2001, perhaps without as much depth. I have a feeling this will be a Rayas that will take 4-6 years at the minimum to shed some of its tannins, and last for 15 or more years. The 2005s at this renowned estate, both the Cotes du Rhones from the Fonselette estate and the Chateauneuf du Papes, are cool-climate style wines with some austerity but admirable delicacy and lightness. I didn’t think they were among the vintage’s strongest efforts, but they are certainly very much in keeping with the style of past Jacques Reynaud wines. Importer: Martine’s Wines, Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2005 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape, which looked strong last year, has put on considerable weight, perfume and complexity, and now looks to be the greatest Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape since the legendary 1995 that was made by the late Jacques Reynaud. Deep ruby in color to the rim, with an enthralling/compelling aromatic display of explosive quantities of kirsch, licorice, and balsam wood notes, this wine hits the palate with extraordinary fullness and richness, but even with such amazing intensity, has a delicacy and lightness of being that are almost impossible to fully appreciate. This is a stunner of awesome complexity, richness, and full-bodied power, but it’s built like a ballerina. Give it 3-5 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 25 years. This great estate has been going through a transitional period, with some replanting in their vineyards, and of course the enormous challenge of replacing the legendary proprietor and winemaker, the late Jacques Reynaud, who passed away in the winter of 1997. Replaced by his nephew Emmanuel Reynaud, who had worked closely with his uncle, the early vintages, as I reported on in this publication, were good but hardly exciting. Reason to be concerned about the direction in which the estate was going was a legitimate worry. The 1998, 1999, and 2000 vintages were vintages where Rayas was well behind the pack of top producers in Chateauneuf du Pape. However, with that said, the tasting I did with Emmanuel Reynaud in late August was the best tasting I have done with him in a decade, and while it may be premature to say that Rayas is back to the greatness of Jacques Reynaud, Emmanuel has made some fabulous wines that are going to be released over the next several years. Importer: Martine’s Wines, Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
Deep red. Explosively perfumed nose offers a kaleidoscopic bouquet of red berries, candied cherry, orange marmalade and fresh flowers. Silky and deep in raspberry and cherry flavor, but with an airy, graceful character reminiscent of a highfalootin' Burgundy. A remarkably concentrated, elegant wine that finishes with superb, seamless length. There is absolutely no excess fat on this.
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
(tasted in components, all of them grenache) #1: Light red. Wild, gamey aromas of earthy red and dark berries are followed by sweet, luscious raspberry and strawberry flavors and supple tannins. #2: From soil richer in clay: Intensely floral and bright, with strong raspberry and lavender tones. Sweet and silky but fresh, with wonderfully persistent red berry flavors and silky tannins. #3: Powerful dark berry and kirsch aromas. Deep, remarkably concentrated boysenberry, cassis and candied cherry flavors. Finishes with lush tannins and amazing length.
About the Producer
Back in 1880, General Albert Reynaud bought Chateau Rayas in the Rhone Valley. It is now run by Emmanuel Reynaud. The Reynaud family has owned the estate for over 120 years. For four generations, the Reynaud family has worked hard to transform the estate from a small, unknown winery to a leading Rhone Valley winery. When Château Rayas was first purchased by Albert Reynaud, it had a small, unassuming vineyard on sandy, north-facing soils that were not well insulated or sunlit. Today the estate has 25 hectares of vineyards and the vines are on average 35 years old. The success of the estate is due to the persistence and innovation of its owners. Originally, the tradition in the Chateauneuf-du-Pape region was to make wine from a mix of grape varieties, but Mr Albert Renaud took a different approach and abandoned the tradition of using a mix of grapes in Chateauneuf-du-Pape to make wine from local Grenache grapes and a small amount of Syrah. The result is a top-notch Chateauneuf-du-Pape red wine (Chateau Rayas, Chateauneuf-du-Pape) that overcomes all its shortcomings. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is matured in old barrels for 2-3 years before being released to the market and is produced in very low yields, at a price that is the best in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region. It is highly regarded by the public: the 1996 vintage was awarded 98 points by the Wine Spectator in 2006, the highest score in the appellation that year. The 2005 and 2003 vintages were also rated 98 and 95 points respectively by Parker. Château Rayas sells its wines under the name "Château Rayas", but also under the names "Château de Fonsalette" and "Pignan". Pignan Chateauneuf du Pape. The wines of Chateauneuf du Pape are comparable to those of Château de Fonsalette. The red wines of Château de Rothschild are smooth and elegant, while the white wines are fresh and have a long lasting aroma. The red wines of Château Fonsalie are full-bodied and ripe, while the white wines have aromas of nectarine and apricot. In the Renault family, which is aimed at the top end of the market, the Pinot is the second wine of Château Rijas and has a similar style to the main Rijas, with a medium body, attractive black cherry and fig flavours and a sweet taste.
