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Vallée du Rhône

Château Rayas

4.8
(14 customer reviews)
Since Albert Reynaud, the Château Rayas estate has belonged to the same family. A mythical, unique and preserved estate, its wines are of unparalleled elegance and refinement. Château Rayas is an emblem of the Rhône Valley. These prestigious grands crus are just like Château Rayas itself, an experience to be lived outside of time, a mystery to be unravelled. Find out more
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Parker Wine Advocate - Jancis Robinson
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The winemaker

An estate belonging to the Reynaud family, winegrowers for several generations


In 1880, Albert Reynaud, a notary in the Avignon area decided to retrain after becoming deaf and bought the Château Rayas estate as a hobby. He began to develop the wine at the beginning of the last century and at the end of his life bequeathed this legacy to his grandson Jacques Reynaud who died suddenly in 1997.
The management and operation of the estate was then entrusted to his nephew Emmanuel Reynaud who is now the owner. Passionate and driven by the love of his terroir, he took over this family estate, restoring a vineyard that was in great need of repair while keeping the mythical and original spirit that characterises the estate.

The originality of the estate and the terroir


Located in the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château Rayas is a small estate of about ten hectares of vines that produces an average of 10,000 bottles, a relatively low yield. Château Rayas is one of those faces of French viticulture that have been elevated to the level of myth. The terrain is original, very sunny, north-facing, on sandy ground, in the middle of the woods.

This sand from the sea is both the richness of this estate and gives the wine finesse and silkiness. The grapes are harvested very ripe, in whole bunches and by hand. The main grape variety grown is Grenache (100% Grenache for the red and Grenache and Clairette for the white).

Indeed, it is the only variety that can manage without clay. Ordinarily, clay adds texture and colour to the wine and retains water and nutrients. As there is no clay in the terroir of Château Rayas, the fruit is very light, the wines fine with little colour and the harvests are small. This terroir is therefore totally different from the Châteauneuf terroir where the vines are rooted in clay and pebbles.

Singular philosophy and state of mind of the Chateau Rayas vintages


For Emmanuel Reynaud, it is very important to respect the grape, the fruit. The specificity of this estate is also this particularity and this respect to make wine with grapes picked with love and softness by hand. It is important to discover the philosophy of wine, to pick the ripe fruit from the soil and to make wine with respect for it. In the fine sand, the wine ripens slowly, nature speaks.
It is necessary to let creation do its work, to respect and act as little as possible. The Raynaud family, and particularly Emmanuel, are committed to anchoring this state of mind in their estate.
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