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Chateau Rayas
: The appellation of Chateauneuf-Du-Pape in the Southern Rhone winegrowing region of France is one of the most versatile in the world. Its soil would be poor for most living things but coincidentally, quite generous to the grape varietals that dwell here. It is a land teeming with creative minds that use the terroir and grape varietals to produce masterpieces. Among these is a family who creates hauntingly good wines that are otherworldly, extraordinarily silky, elegant and sensuous.
If there is one single wine in the appellation that signifies the true level of greatness possible in Chateauneuf-Du-Pape, it would be Rayas. Like the First Growths of Bordeaux, Rayas could be the one to showcase the true potential of the region. The Reynaud family has been tending the vines of Chateau Rayas for generations. When Albert Reynaud went deaf at the young age of 45, he needed a new career and decided to become a winemaker in the Rhone Valley and purchased Chateau Rayas.
His son, Louis Reynaud would inherit the estate after his father’s passing and in his ambitious nature helped bring the estate into the modern era as one of the most popular producers in Southern Rhone. Under his direction, Rayas became one of the first estates in Chateauneuf-Du-Pape to bottle and sell their own wine. Louis began adding the words “Premier Grand Cru” on the labels which helped to gain attention. The Reynaud family continued to add to their holdings, expanding the vineyards, including the purchase of Chateau des Tours in the southeast and Chateau Fonsalette in the north. The descendants have continued to inherit the land and the next generations are poised to take control when the time comes.
Rayas owns 12 hectares of vines in Chateauneuf-Du-Pape that possesses a unique terroir or red, sandy soils with small amounts of limestone and clay with very few rocks. The extremely fine, sandy soils are reminiscent to that of a beach. Due to the large amounts of clay in the soils, the ground retains moisture, adding to the humidity which aids in keeping the ground temperature cool. Another key factor contributing to the terroir is the landscape which consists of many large pine and oak trees found in the vineyards. The trees and the surrounding forest land alter the micro-climate, influencing cooler temperatures.
Though the temperatures may keep the yields low and prevent an early harvest, Chateau Rayas seeks low yields where the clusters are larger with smaller grapes. Ten hectares are reserved for the production of their red Chateauneuf-Du-Pape and 2 hectares for the production of their whites. Rayas remains a very traditional winemaker and both the Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf and their second wine, Pignan are both 100% Grenache. Rayas produces 1,100 cases of its flagship each year, while the Pignan sees only around 650 cases yearly. The white Chateauneuf-Du-Pape is sourced from 50% Grenache Blanc and 50% Clairette, in which a mere 425 cases are produced annually.
Rayas also produces three Cotes du Rhone and a declassified wine from their vineyards at Chateau Fonsalette and at Chateau des Tours, they produce a red and white which are sold as Vin de Pays. A multitude of grape varietals are used to produce these wines which include Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Grenache Blanc, Merlot and Clairette. These 11 hectares combined with the 12 in Chateauneuf-Du-Pape brings Chateau Rayas to 23 total hectares under vine in Southern Rhone. Over the course of more than a century and multiple generations the Reynaud family has turned an unexpected career into an empire which has been passionately cared for.
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