chateau rayas 1997

"château rayas is one of france’s finest wines. many connoisseurs consider it the best wine of the appellation. this estate was created relatively recently by louis reynaud (the vines were planted in the early 1920s), who did not hesitate to stand out from the practices usually observed at châteauneuf du pape. in a region traditionally roasted by the sun in summer, part of the vineyard is oriented to the north, and the vines benefit from the refreshing virtues of the small pine forests that dot the estate. louis reynaud also concentrated mainly on a single variety, grenache, where the appellation allows thirteen. his son jacques, who is portrayed as an atypical, even eccentric character, took over, bringing the wines to the peak of quality, while using traditional techniques. the estate is now managed by his nephew, emmanuel reynaud. a peculiarity of this châteauneuf du pape is its assembly, which comprises in an overwhelming proportion of the grenache grape - about 98%. favouring low yields (barely 18 hectolitres per hectare), the winemaker lets express an exceptional terroir: the sandy soil does not contain the famous bed of pebbles typical of the appellation (louis reynaud would have removed them by hand!). the fermentation takes place in concrete vats, and the ageing (20 months) takes place in old oak barrels. château rayas reached summits of creaminess in the great vintages. extraordinary aromas of cherry and raspberry characterize this wine of a finesse and power unparalleled in the appellation. the production of a second wine, château pignan, of impeccable quality."