Jacques Reynaud, who died in 1997, was one of the true characters in Châteauneuf. A notoriously shy and private man, he was known to avoid appointments by hiding in ditches that lined the rutted driveway leading to his château. However, he was recognised as one of the world’s greatest winemakers and the legacy of Château Rayas is now continued by his son François.
So many practices here seem to run contrary to other producers in Châteauneuf – the 13 hectares of vines are north facing and contain none of the fabled “galets roulés”. Only Grenache is used and yields at around 15hl/h are ridiculously low. Almost uniquely the wines are matured in the now rarely seen 450 litre “double-piéce” oak casks. These are substantial and exotically rich wines that are quite literally unique.
94 Points Robert Parker Wine Advocate
This full-bodied, powerful wine offers up incredible notes of pineapple, white currants, quince, flowers, poached pear, and caramelized tangerine. It is exotic in 2007, with some shockingly good acidity, but the problem is that there is not much of it, as under 500 cases are generally made in any vintage. This wine has legendary aging potential if you’re willing to take the gamble and wait, although the 2007 is good enough to drink now. Keep your fingers crossed on its evolution, which could be positive and last as long as two to three decades. Drink through 2032.