Château Rayas

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache 2005

9.6

Intense and gorgeous and lush. Rich plum and hints of mocha. Spices and lovely soft notes of date and tangy ink. Spectacular — 19 days ago

Tom, Ira and 6 others liked this

Château Rayas

Réservé Pignan Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache 2002

Mark Rosse

9.2

A bit beyond its peak. Still soft and sexy — 3 months ago

Dave liked this

Domaine des Tours

Réserve Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Red Rhone Blend 2019

Matt Austin

Owner/Winemaker, Grosgrain Vineyards, Walla Walla, WA

8.9

This ain’t Rayas. Would be great at $20, but the pedigree has this way overpriced these days. — 6 months ago

Shay and Ira liked this

Ira Schwartz

@Matt Austin “pricing by association “ has become a joke.

La Pialade de Rayas

Côtes du Rhône Grenache Blend 2014

Michael Greene

9.2

Like a very structured rose. Orange blossom. Funk. — 9 months ago

Lyle, Pooneet and 1 other liked this

Château Rayas

Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache Blend 2005

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2005 vintage. Decanted and tasted immediately and over the course of 4 hours. Medium body with a continually morphing nose. Super-impressive bouquet throughout the night. Overt fruit fallen off the framework and replaced with secondary attributes/complexities. @Bill Bender remarked twice about a lack of “heat”since the usual CDP ABV range seemed underwhelming One might think that would present issues but, rest assured, it did not. Great wine possibly at its’ zenith/top of the bell curve and living its’ best life now. Backed up the hype and then some. Tied for WOTN along with the 2006 Krug Clos du Mesnil Champagne (missed a picture for that one) for both myself and @Shay A 09.21.25. — a month ago

with Shay and Bill

Scott@Mister, Shay and 25 others liked this

Jay Kline

🙌

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Effing banging. Thank you @Bill Bender !!

Shay A

My first Rayas! So grateful to @Bill Bender for the experience (as well as the other wines) to finally check this off the list. I’d say that between the five wines of the evening, this and the ‘06 Krug CdM evolved the most. This is the most powerful and aromatic CdP I’ve ever had. The red/black cran-raspberry profile was like a missle on the palate…so youthful, even tangy the beginning. A lot of CdPs have this dirty/figgy profile but this was so clean and pure. Verve for days. Probably still rocking in another 5+ before evolving to the next stage. Epic.

9.7

Château Rayas

Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Clairette Grenache Blanc 2007

Alvaro Bustillos

Ultima cena la paulee — 8 months ago

Jan and Juan liked this

Château Rayas

Chateau de Fonsalette Réservé Côtes du Rhône Syrah 2008

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of three days and consistent throughout. The 2008 Cuvèe Syrah pours a deep, hazy ruby/purple color with a near translucent core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with heady notes of ripe black and red fruits: mixed brambles, garrigue, lavender, black pepper, salmiakki, olive brine, spiced and cured meat, and dry stony earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish lasts for ten minutes (no cap); savory and spicy. This is my second time getting to enjoy this truly special wine and both experiences were consistent. Drink now with a 30min decant and enjoy through 2033. — 9 months ago

Daniel, A. and 14 others liked this

Tom Casagrande

Very lucky to be able to find this these days. Someone’s hoarding them. Not sure who . . . but I will track. them. down.

Jay Kline

@Tom Casagrande for real. Even Chateau des Tours is nearly impossible to find anymore and secondary pricing is painful.

Tom Casagrande

@Jay Kline - And secondary storage conditions are Russian Roulette.

Bodega Cuatro Rayas

Cuarenta Cuvee Vendimias Verdejo 2022

Douglas Braun

9.1

2022-Vintage - yellow gold , a lot of other than fruit character minerality ( Stoney character) spiced apple , good intensity. Med plus acidity ,12.5% ABV good concentration — 2 months ago

Tom, Bob and 5 others liked this

Douglas Braun

Nice medium bodied character

Château Rayas

Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2009

Alvaro Bustillos

9.8

Cena peter zehian mi casa miguel fdz — 4 months ago

Jan liked this

Château Rayas

Reserve Château de Fonsalette Côtes du Rhône Red Rhone Blend 2006

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2006 vintage. Opened and put aside for a half hour, then decanted and tasted after an hour. Excellent fill and cork with minimal sed. Rusty, brickish color. Earthy, spicy nose. Light bodied. Phenomenal amounts of undying back palate push and spice “componentry” to vault this into Holy Bleep territory. Another decade at this level. Such a pleasure. 04.18.25. — 6 months ago

Ted, David and 12 others liked this

Tom Casagrande

You lucked out. Last three bottles I’ve had of Fonsallette from the aughts were, of necessity, purchased on the secondary market and obviously poorly stored by some rich a**holes who didn’t give a sh*t and didn’t appreciate what their wealth and connections were able to get. As a result, all three bottles I got were tired and browning. Still, the memory I have of how great these wines can be (from the 80s and early 90s before they acquired cult status) keep me rolling the dice and spending $$ I shouldn’t searching to re-live that magic despite the risk of poor storage.