Ch. Rayas La Pialade Ctes du Rhne Rouge 2019

Description

The spirit of Jacques Reynaud, the godfather of Chteauneuf-du-Pape, is always present. When the legendary founder of Chteau Rayas died suddenly in 1997, his wife asked their nephew, Emmanuel Reynaud, to take the reins at both Chteau Rayas and Chteau Fonsalette. Already making wines at his fathers Chteau des Tours, Emmanuel agreed.

He is somewhat reclusive, and can be found working his vineyards at most any time of day, every day. Emmanuel does not revel in the fame and notoriety that come with making such sought-after and acclaimed wines, but he continues to carry the mantle of his famous forebears, producing hauntingly aromatic wines at his three estates: Chteau Rayas, Chteau des Tours and Chteau de Fonsalette.

Chteau Rayas was purchased by Emmanuels grandfather, Albert Reynaud, in 1880; it was made famous by Jacques and his father, Louis, a pioneer in the appellation. Even today, visiting Rayas is like taking a trip back in time; the estate did not even have electricity until the late 1980s. Emmanuel continues in the traditional style, while moving forward as the heralded winemaker of one of the worlds most sought-after wines. Here, in addition to creating the wines of Chteau Rayas, Emmanuel also produces Pignan, expressing a different approach to this unique terrior.

Composed of three separate vineyards Le Couchant, Le Levant and Le Coeur Chteau Rayas occupies one of the most unique sites in the world. The estate is surrounded by towering pine trees (pignan in French) that monitor the airflow into the vineyards, and the vines are planted in very fine sand that regulates their temperature and maintains humidity around the roots. This seemingly magical sand creates its very own microclimate and exceptionally elegant wines.

While 13 varietals are permitted in Chteauneuf-du-Pape, Emmanuel uses only one for Rayas red wines: Grenache. For the whites, he uses Grenache Blanc and Clairette. Grapes come from the three vineyards, are vinified and aged separately in old barrels, then are blended to achieve Emmanuels vision for the vintage, always adhering to Chteau Rayas signature style. With a Pinot Noirlike flavor profile kirsch, cherry, peat moss coupled with a peppery Mediterranean flair that is distinctively Southern France, there is simply nothing like a bottle of Chteau Rayas.