2005 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge – Château Rayas is currently sold out.
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2005 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge – Château Rayas
- Vintage: 2005
- Bottle Size: 0,75l
- Filling level: hf - high fill
- Label Condition: 1A
- Source: private collection
- Grape variety Grenache
- Alcohol percentage: 14% vol.
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Origin:
Rhône
France
Southern Rhône
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
€1.400,00
Out of stock
Château Rayas
Is one a myth if one completely withdraws from the public eye? Or does that make one into a myth? Rusted signposts (if they even exist) must first be found, and visitors are only rarely welcomed. This attitude seems to be embedded in the DNA of many sought-after French winemakers. However, great estates do not remain undiscovered – the world is far too globalized for that.
Thankfully, it is! Château Rayas regularly ranks among the top 10-rated Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines and enjoys cult status worldwide. The twelve-hectare estate (ten hectares dedicated to red wines, two hectares to white) is located three kilometers north of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It was founded in 1880 by Albert Reynaud, and since 1997, it has been run by his rather reclusive great-grandson, Emmanuel Reynaud.
It is also said that the seemingly modest Rayas estate had no electricity until the 1980s. The red Rayas is made from 100% Grenache, while the white is 50% Clairette and 50% Grenache. The vines grow quite idyllically in a forest clearing on sandy soil, with an average age of 50 years. They appear gnarled but proud, seemingly defying all the challenges of modern times. The family also owns Château des Tours and Château de Fonsalette.
Yes, we experienced the winemaker’s seclusion and the modesty of the estate during a visit in 2015. We were fortunate enough to be let in and given a pleasant tour. For us, as great lovers of both the wines of Château Rayas and the Fonsalette Syrahs, this visit remains a special experience.
Rhône
What connects the breathtaking 4,000-meter peaks in the Valais with the steep vineyards of Hermitage? The same river winds through both landscapes. The Rhône is 810 km long, originating south of Lucerne at the Rhone Glacier and, as the most water-rich river in France, eventually flowing into the Mediterranean at a delta near Arles. The wine-growing region of the same name is the oldest in France, with just over 60,000 hectares spread along 200 kilometers of riverbank in both the northern and southern Rhône.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Here, it was the Pope himself. No monks, no immigrants—Pope John XXII personally ordered the creation of a vineyard around 1350 in the city of his summer residence, built on limestone quarries (this order, however, was made by his predecessor, Pope Clement V, after whom Château Pape-Clement is named). Before the Popes arrived, Châteauneuf was called Calcernier due to its soil. The town, now home to 2,100 inhabitants, only became part of France in 1791; until then, it was part of the independent and powerful territory of the Bishops and Archbishops of Avignon. Reflecting the significance of the place, the papal symbols—the crossed keys of Peter and the Tiara—now adorn every bottle neck of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The AOC, covering 3,100 hectares, was granted protected origin status in 1936 (developed since 1923).
The early appellation owes much to the influential winemaker legend Baron Pierre Le Roy de Boiseaumarié, who played an active role in the development of the AOC system in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The fact that 13 grape varieties are allowed to make up the blend in red wines may be a reflection of the customs of the time. Today, only about 10% of the total production consists of white wines. Wine lovers from around the world know and appreciate the famous appellation for its rich, incredibly complex red wines. Some of the great names in Châteauneuf-du-Pape that must be known and tasted include Château de Beaucastel, Henri Bonneau, Clos des Papes, Clos Saint Jean, Domaine du Pegau, Domaine de la Vieille Julienne, Domaine de la Janasse, and Rayas.
