The great mythical fine wine of Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Wines from Château Rayas: buy at the best price
Emmanuel Reynaud succeeded his uncle Jacques, who passed away suddenly, as head of Château Rayas in 1997. He crafts the most mythical wines of southern France. The red is an atypical 100% Grenache. It owes its singularity to the sandy, north-facing soils of the vineyard and to the use of whole-cluster harvesting to produce this remarkably refined wine aged in old large oak casks. The result is breathtaking: a wine of truly Burgundian elegance that quickly makes one forget the traditional canonical wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The white is equally remarkable. Made from white Grenache and Clairette, it needs time to come into its own. Fans of Emmanuel Reynaud's wines can also turn to the Côtes-du-Rhône from Château de Fonsalette, which has the advantage of sharing a common profile with Rayas but is accessible at a younger age.