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.
Rayas also makes three different Fonsalette wines; Chateau Rayas Fonsalette Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Syrah, Chateau Rayas Fonsalette Cotes du Rhone and Chateau Rayas Fonsalette Cotes du Rhone Blanc.
The wines of Fonsalette are made in the cellars of Rayas. In total, Emmanuel Reynaud owns 10 hectares of vines in the Cotes du Rhone appellation.
91-93 Points Robert Parker Wine Advocate
The 2010 Fonsalette Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Syrah exhibits a dense, pure, nearly opaque color as well as surprising amounts of fat, licorice, cassis, blackberries, roasted meats, gamy smoked duck and Asian spice. Supple tannins and a thickness and unctuosity characterize this Cuvee Syrah, which was first made in 1978 from cuttings taken from the northern Rhone’s Domaine Chave in Mauves.