Chateau Rayas, Chateauneuf-du-Pape Reserve, Rhône, France, 2000

Overview of the Wine
A small ten-hectare vineyard, in the heart of the woods, planted in very poor, sandy soil producing wines with great finesse. In the heart of the southern Rhône Valley appellation vineyards, Emmanuel Reynaud offers up his Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée wines featuring Châteauneuf du Pape, Côtes du Rhône, Vacqueyras and Côtes du Rhône Village.

Both red and white, these wines are the fruit of the vineyards of a number of different domains: Château Rayas, Château Fonsalette and Château des Tours signed the Reynaud family, wine-growers from one generation to the next since 1880.

Today these wines are matured in the cellars of two estates Château Rayas and Château des Tours. 

Winemaker
Emmanuel Reynaud 

Grape / Blend
Grenache

Origin
Rhône, France

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Smoke and pepper dominate the nose. Thick and sappy; round and seamless. Offers very good depth of flavor... Best today on the peppery, long finish, which features thoroughly ripe tannins.

93 Points - Wine Advocate
The 2000 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape, which Emmanuel Reynaud believes is better than 1998, came in at a whopping 15.2% alcohol. It is reminiscent of a hypothetical blend of the 1998 and 1999, with a medium to light ruby color, and a sumptuous bouquet of kirsch liqueur, spice box, and licorice. Full-bodied and fleshy, with low acidity, it is a sweet (from high glycerin and alcohol), seductive, intoxicating offering with no hard edges and a rich, fleshy mouthfeel. (RP)

93 Points - Wine Spectator
 *Collectible* Remarkable. Very light in color, like weathered bricks, but this medium-bodied red has all the sweetness you can wish for from a young wine, with ripe tannins and some plum and cherry confit providing succulent flavors; you won't leave a drop in the glass. Smooth, silky, ripe, balanced, long finish. 

91 Points - Vinous
Medium red. Nose initially dominated by meat, toasted nuts and orange peel; showed a lively raspberry aroma with aeration. Tight, dense and peppery on entry, then lush and silky in the middle palate, with strong pepper and spice notes. Less fruity in its youth than the Pignan, and considerably less showy. But this really coats the palate and lingers on the back end. Will require a good eight to ten years of aging, but will it be a very good or a great Rayas?

90 Points - Int'l Wine Cellar
Rather pale red (Reynaud says the color will deepen as the wine ages). Smoke and pepper dominate the nose. Thick and sappy; round and seamless. Offers very good depth of flavor... Best today on the peppery, long finish, which features thoroughly ripe tannins. There weren't a lot of bunches in 2000, says Reynaud, but the grapes were large. 90+ (ST)

 Product size: 750ml