Showing the more structured, savory and austere side of the vintage, the 2005 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape will be 20-30 year wine. Offering up lots of darker fruits, gunpowder, ground pepper, truffles and licorice, it has full-bodied richness, a beautiful texture and no shortage of tannin or acid, both of which make themselves known on the finish. This is a wine to hide in the cellar for at least another 4-5 years, and it will still be going strong in 2030+. I don't see this matching the 1995 or 2007, but it's not far off.
Deep red. Explosively perfumed nose offers a kaleidoscopic bouquet of red berries, candied cherry, orange marmalade and fresh flowers. Silky and deep in raspberry and cherry flavor, but with an airy, graceful character reminiscent of a highfalootin' Burgundy. A remarkably concentrated, elegant wine that finishes with superb, seamless length. There is absolutely no excess fat on this.
The 2005 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve exhibits a slightly transparent, ruby red color as well as knockout aromatics of garrigue, kirsch, raspberries, and smoke. With air, some black tea leaves and licorice notes follow. The wine is beautifully perfumed, complex and nuanced. In the mouth, it’s full bodied with sweet fruit, a soft, supple texture and a blockbuster finish. While I think this clearly surpasses the ’04 (a fantastic wine in its own right), I’m not sure it hits the heights of the ’89,’90 or ’95. Time will tell though and this is a gorgeous Rayas that should drink beautifully over the next 20 years.
Really pure, tangy and superracy, with fresh, bright minerality rippling through the red cherry, red currant, fresh garrigue, shiso leaf and licorice notes. The long, finely tuned finish lingers on and on, with very fine acidity carrying it all. Drink now through 2028. 1,300 cases made, 275 cases imported.
The pale brick colour gives the impression of a wine in an advanced state of maturity but the nose is fresh and youthful with lifted red berry fruit. The earthy, herbal, garrigue notes on the palate are a little more mature but the supple fruit and tension shows you the wine can hold. The finish is clean and precise. Elegance again prevails.
