Wine Spectator (94)

After a hot summer followed by rain at harvest, this "miracle" vintage produced many gorgeous northern Rhône Syrahs. Balanced, racy, elegant, fresh and sweet-tasting, with smooth tannins. Aromas of leather, roasted nuts, plum and wood smoke bring a complexity that seduces. Medium-bodied and in the lineage of '96.--La Chapelle vertical. Drink now through 2015. -PM

Wine Spectator (94)

Much more expressive on the nose than the '97--and darker and thicker--adding to the evidence that '96 is a better vintage in the northern Rhône. Delivers a round, clean, pure mouthfeel of vibrant, focused red berry and blackberry flavors. Superb balance, as it walks a tightrope among the relatively high acidity, ripe tannins and delicious fruit. Worth cellaring.--La Chapelle vertical. Best from 2003 through 2015. -PM

Vinous (92)

(made with 80% whole clusters): Vivid ruby. Intense red fruit and floral pastille aromas are complemented by smoky Indian spices and zesty minerality. Shows impressive clarity and depth on the palate, with sappy black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors becoming spicier with aeration. Finishes with youthful tannic grip and impressive length, leaving a suave violet note behind. Gonon told me he thinks this wine is in the process of shutting down as the tannins are much more pronounced now than they were in the early fall, and he advises waiting another three years or so before checking back in on it.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

There's a single barrel of the 2016 Châteauneuf Du Pape Not For You, which is 100% Grenache from the Les Serres lieu-dit from the oldest vines of the estate. It wasn’t destemmed and spent two years in a neutral barrel. It offers an incredible bouquet of kirsch, blackberries, incense, white flowers, garrigue and spice that develops beautifully with time in the glass. Rich, powerful, full-bodied, and concentrated, it nevertheless glides over the palate with no weight, ultra-fine tannins, and a singular, exotic, lengthy style.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Not For You is flat-out awesome, and Grenache doesn't get any better in this reviewer's opinion. Coming from 100-year-old vines in the Les Serres lieu-dit, in the southern end of the appellation, it was not destemmed and was brought up in a single new demi-muid. Incredible aromatics of darker berries, Provençal garrigue, ground pepper, lavender, and leather are just some of its nuances, and this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, opulent mouthfeel, full-bodied richness, ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. While this is a massive wine by any measure, it's not over the top, stays perfectly balanced, has ripe tannins, and is an incredibly singular wine. Unfortunately, it will be just about impossible to find in the market. If you're lucky enough to find a bottle, it should be at its best from 2026-2041.

Vinous (94)

Vivid red. Intensely perfumed, expressive aromas of red and dark berry compote, smoky minerals and incense, along with a deep note of black cardamom. Palate-saturating raspberry and kirsch flavors are complicated by suggestions of licorice pastille and candied lavender, with silky tannins adding support. Becomes sappier with air and finishes with excellent clarity and mineral-laced red fruit character.

Vinous (96)

The 1988 Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape (magnum) was stratospheric. Dark, intense and powerful, the wine totally conquered the palate and intellect with superb length and fabulous overall balance. The volatile acidity was on the edge, but this was otherwise an eternal Châteauneuf-du-Pape destined for a long, long life.

Wine Advocate (96)

The 1995 is spectacular. When Emmanuel Reynaud said it was evolving quickly, in essence repudiating this vintage, I immediately drank two bottles of this glorious elixir. It does not reveal the over-ripeness of the 1990, bringing to mind a hypothetical blend of the great 1989 and 1978. Deeply-colored and still young, with black currant/creme de cassis-like characteristics, huge body, yet great structure and delineation, this is a classic Rayas that is totally different than the 1990. It should continue to improve in the bottle and may merit an even higher score. While it can be drunk now, it will be even better with 3-4 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2020.

Vinous (90+)

Good deep red. Deeper aromas of black cherry, raspberry, pepper and licorice. Broad-shouldered but very closed, showing less sweetness today than the '96 Pignan. Red fruit flavors complicated by notes of leather, licorice and herbs. Strong acid/tannin backbone for aging. But tough going today.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (91-93)

Two component cuvées tasted.Cuvée #1 (20- to 30-year-old vines picked late): Medium red. Explosive aromas of raspberry liqueur, fresh cherry and smoke. Very rich, almost liqueur-like, with hints of leather and game. Impressively ripe and deep. Has sound acidity and a firm tannic underpinning.Cuvée #2 (from a higher percentage of older vines, picked earlier): Deeper red. Much less forthcoming on the nose. More intensely flavored and powerful, with excellent grip and structure for the year. Strong peppery quality in the mouth and on the aftertaste. Tannins are substantial but ripe. A robust sample. The combination of these two cuvées should produce a strong wine.

Vinous (91+)

Medium red-ruby. Smoky redcurrant nose, with hints of game, leather and pepper; surmuri notes of dried fruits. Fat but quite fine; less sweet and fruit-driven today than the Pignan but more complex, more serious. This has solid structure for aging. The Pignan always tastes better young than Rayas, Reynaud points out.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2003 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape has gone from strength to strength and now looks to be the finest vintage since the monumental 1995. Deep ruby to the rim with that classic Rayas nose of flowers, kirsch liqueur, black raspberries, crushed rocks, and minerals, the wine is dense and concentrated, with a broad, savory mouthfeel, sweet yet silky tannin, fabulous persistence, and a blockbuster finish that just goes on and on. This is a reassuringly profound Rayas that seems to suggest that Emmanuel Reynaud has finally figured out this cold-climate terroir in a warm climate appellation. This wine should be given 3-4 years of bottle age, and drunk over the following 20+ years.

Vinous (94)

Medium red. Stunning floral and red berry aromas emphasize raspberry, strawberry and fresh lavender. Bright, focused and pure, with vibrant red fruit and mineral flavors given an exotic twist by a hint of dried apricot. The sweet finish leaves a strong floral pastille impression. The freshness and precision of this wine are really captivating.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2009 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape is an awesome example of elegance combined with extraordinary power. The alcohol levels must be between 15.5% and 16%, but the elegance and sublime nature of this wine make it irresistible. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by an extraordinary bouquet of framboise, black cherry liqueur intermixed with blacker fruits, licorice and a hint of flowers. Pure with terrific layers of fruit concentration (although it's remarkably light on its feet), silky tannins, well-integrated acidity and a stunning personality, this monumental Rayas is breathtaking. This beauty will undoubtedly be drinkable early on (although Emmanuel Reynaud considers that to be infanticide), and it is capable of lasting 25-30 years. One of the world's most mysterious estates is Chateau Rayas. This small 30-acre estate is owned by the Reynaud family, which dates back to the late 19th century,. The estate has always had an image of secrecy and seclusion. Following the death of Jacques Reynaud in 1997, his nephew, Emmanuel took over, and he continues to produce wines that go from strength to strength. A cool climate property in a hot zone, Rayas is tucked away in a forest with its vineyards basically one parcel of sandy soil. Emmanuel Reynaud, who is also the proprietor of the outstanding Vacqueyras estate called Domaine des Tours, has the same eccentric idiosyncracies as his uncle. It is not as difficult to get an appointment to visit Rayas as many people think, and I highly recommend it as it is always a fascinating place to visit. After 25 years, I never cease to be amazed by what emerges from these decrepit, old, haphazard cellars that look like a biohazard room in a video game. They don't win the top prize for the dirtiest cellars in Chateauneuf du Pape (that goes to Henri Bonneau), but Rayas is a close second. Modern-day oenology graduates would be horrified by -working conditions,- but the magic elixirs to emerge from these ancient barrels, demi-muids and foudres are wondrous. On this trip, I tasted through the component parts of the 2010s, another top vintage for Rayas. Production was tiny, and the harvest was extremely late. In fact, Emmanuel Reynaud told me that 2011 would be at least ten days in advance of 2010. The 2009s, which have all been bottled, have turned out to be spectacular, and I tend to think the 2009 Rayas could turn out to be the greatest wine made by Emmanuel, even eclipsing the 2007.

Vinous (96+)

Vivid ruby. An explosively perfumed bouquet displays red and dark berry preserves, potpourri, licorice and smoky minerals. Broad and fleshy, offering deeply concentrated black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors and a strong note of floral pastilles. Chewy tannins give grip to a powerful, alluringly sweet, endless finish. Shows as much density as I can recall from a young Rayas and is clearly built for the long haul.

Vinous (94)

Bright ruby-red. An exotic bouquet presents black raspberry, incense, Asian spices and blood orange. On the palate, sweet red and dark berry flavors become more tangy and spicy with air. Shows an impressive blend of depth and vivacity and finishes with outstanding focus and thrust and gentle tannic grip. Evidently this wine didn't get the memo that 2011 couldn't produce outstanding wines.

Vinous (92)

Greenish yellow. High-pitched, minerally citrus and orchard fruit aromas show excellent clarity and a hint of pungent flowers. Concentrated yet lithe on the palate, offering juicy Meyer lemon and green apple flavors plus a touch of anise. Finishes silky and seamless, with repeating mineral and floral notes.

Vinous (94)

Red-ruby. Sweetly oaky aromas of raspberry and charred meat; this perfume should be bottled as Eau de Cote Rotie. Wonderfully sweet raspberry, floral, and fresh tobacco flavors; rich, very concentrated and thoroughly palate staining. Quintessential Cote Rotie sap. Beautifully integrated acids give the raspberry fruit terrific clarity and cut. Finishes very long and firm, with notes of pepper and woodsmoke. Sexy and harmonious from start to finish.

Wine Advocate (95+)

Like most 2005s, Rostaing’s 2005 Côte Rôtie Côte Blonde is still backwards and tight, with bright acidity giving lift to classic notes of dark fruits, iron, violets, and minerality. Much more reserved and focused than the ’06, yet with superb mid-palate depth, awesome purity of fruit and no shortage of tannin, it needs another 3-4 years in the cellar and should be very long-lived.

Wine Advocate (97)

I think the best wine here (at the moment anyways) is the 2012 Cote Rotie Cote Blonde. More reserved and closed initially, it has subtle, yet seductive notes of black raspberry, blackberry, toasted spice, smoke earth and cured meat that gradually open up in the glass. This is followed by a full-bodied, dense, substantial Cote Rotie that has awesome polish to its tannin, a great mid-palate and a smoking finish. It too needs short-term cellaring, but will keep for 2-3 decades.