Doug Powers

9.7

Iodine, smoke, classic well-aged Syrah aromas and flavors, this threw SO MUCH sediment that a decant WAS REQUIRED (and I wish I could post the picture of the sediment glop, it was equally as thick and dark as any great Vintage Porto I’ve ever seen after decanting). This is still youthful in so many ways, and still shows some big tannic structure, for now, it just needs food. Finish is super long, just an amazing “COTES DU RHONE” I purchased in 1986 when we lived in Brooklyn Heights, I was lucky enough to but TWO cases for $150/each, or $12.50/bottle, and I have 2 more bottles for sure!! Simply amazing juice!!!
OK, you guys KNOW I have some backstories here to tell — (1) This wine is a 250-case cuvée, which in this particular bottle’s case was made by the legendary Jacques Reynaud (who owned Rayas and the other properties, Chateau Pignan CdP and Fonsalette CdR, before tragically passing in 1997, when his nephew Emmanuel took over, and Emmanuel himemself just passed); (2) I used to buy Rayas and Pignan back in the 1980s in Brooklyn Heights at my neighborhood wine store, 10 to 15 year old vintages were available for $30 or so per bottle, but last ones I bought were 1988-1990 Pignan and Fonsalette in California; (3) my brother and I used to bring Rayas. (1974, 1976 and 1978) to restaurants in Napa (paying corkage) back in the late 1980s/early 1990s, where very few wait staff even knew what they were; and (4) I personally can no longer play with the big boys for younger vintages, but Rayas and Fonsalette “Cuvée Syrah” are truly collector wines, the latter in particular is built to last 30-50 years, I doubt many folks would ever age them that long, nor find them appealing at age 5/10/15, so most of the above information is likely of no use (last vintage I bought was 1989, but 2 or 3 bottle limit, and those weredrunk long ago). But damn, what a fantastic time capsule of a grape grown in the wrong place (southern France) making such an immortal wine!! Doug — 9 days ago

with Jim

Gilbert Van Hassel

9.1

Predominantly Grenache with a fair bit of cinsault, meatier than his famous brother Rayas but still a great Côtes du Rhône. Drink now.
— 4 years ago

Lee Lightfoot

9.2

Phenomenal value for an ageable Syrah heavy Cotes du Rhone. Like a baby fonsalette, cracked pepper red and purple fruit savory warm sand and herbs. Light to medium body, crushable with great acid and still kicking on day 2. — 6 years ago

with Alex

Kenta Hayashi

9.3

One of the trick wines brought to a Burg tasting. Only remember the floral nose with a bit of greenness (stems) and tinge of sweetness at the end. The last bit should have revealed the producer. On the second day, the wine is very much more Rhone like and reminds me of Fonsalette but much more ethereal and airy. Nose is dominated by figs compote, prunes, raisins. Luscious and has nice density that I don't come across from Burgs. Lovely! — 9 years ago

Michael Myers

9.0

2012. I honestly don't understand the horrible CT reviews of this wine - bottle variation I'm guessing? I very much enjoyed it. Certainly more southern Rhone-esque than northern Rhone, and yet -- it's f***ing Shiraz. So even comparing it to Rhone is a win. This is definitely not to be compared to the Syrah of Cote Rotie or St Joseph, *but* it actually had some similarities to the Fonsalette Cote Du Rhone Syrahs I've tried (ok, granted, not as complex, but still, that Southern Rhone Syrah sappiness with a brain, meaning quite enough complexity to keep me intrigued). I'd actually purchase this again for $30. To me, a repurchase is high praise. — 13 years ago

Doug Powers

8.9

Still relatively youthful with a medium-dark purple color, as @Tom Casagrande said three years ago, ripe vintage, soft tannins, relatively lower acidity, lingering finish, I’d guess this is at or near maturity (so I need to drink up the remaining bottles in the next few years, overall solid Moulin-a-Vent!!
(Oh, and this was in a box with the final 3 bottles I purchased of 1983 Chateau Fonsalette “Cuvée Syrah”, which I’ll let stand up for a while to settle the apparent copious sediment!) — a month ago

with Jim

Mark Rosse

9.2

Great cork. A bit of a let down after the Fonsalette. — 2 years ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.4

Pozas pelicans — 3 years ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.5

Papa su cumple — 6 years ago

Keith Herrick

9.5

Compared to the juge and the fonsalette, this was totally reserved. Meat, olive, sage, granite and plum. Dark fruits, and for Syrah, a subtle aroma. This wine is very young but I would not call it closed up. Fairly tannic as well. — 8 years ago

Daniel M

9.1

Blood orange,liquorice , strawberry, violet (?), grilled meat(?!) on the nose. I could spend the evening with my nose upon this glass! What a nose ! Blood orange again on the palate which tends to have this bitter feeling all along the acid backbone. Red fruits around there too. Not as Burgundian and ethereal and precise as the chateau (cdr) in the same vintage but I can feel the lineage here. The finish is long with a bitter salty touch. Wow again. For a 13€ price-tag I could have this any given day. Perhaps one of the best value ever encountered. I can’t wait to open the big big brother fonsalette — 8 years ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.4

Billy shanon lalo barbara @ asador bastian — 2 months ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.3

Delicious Grenache. Fonsalette lite — a year ago

Jay Kline

10

Served double-blind as a sort of epilogue to an already epic night. This was served alongside another red wine that was also presented double-blind. Immediately, I called this Southern Rhone and the other wine, Sangiovese from Toscano (it ended up being a 2012 Biondi Santi Riserva). This presented a bright ruby color in the glass with a transparent core. This wine…had an OMG nose. The kind of aromatics that could end all wars and bring a century of peace to all mankind. It’s both powerful and elegant. Both ripe and fresh. An androgynous wine that represents both masculine and feminine with a grace that would make Prince or David Bowie envious. Gorgeously layered red and dark fruits, exotic spices, licorice and garrigue wrapped in the most beautifully textured package imaginable. It reminded me of something similar a previous experience; like Fonsalette…but this was different, there was more here. When you taste this, everything becomes clear. You look at everyone at the table differently; for what you have more in common instead of what makes us different. An experience akin to an Odesza show on MDMA. It’s that profound and then you are forever changed. You wake up the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that and weeks go by and your worldview is different. You see love in everything. And then it was revealed to be a 2010 Chateau Rayas. *Insert expletive*. A magnificent wine. An epiphany and, as far as I’m concerned, perfect. This is not merely a great Chateauneuf du Pape. This transcends the appellation. It should be its own AOC. Drink now or whenever you’re reading this note. — 3 years ago

Michael Simonetti

9.6

Dream. Herbs. Game. Fruit. — 8 years ago

Hickoryburger

9.5

And 2001 Fonsalette Syrah — 8 years ago

PSH

9.7

$80 applejack Xmas 2015 — 11 years ago