1995 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rhône France Wine Tasting Note

28218 Views

1995
100
One of the great vintages of Rayas is still on top of its game. Full, deep, and intense, the wine opens with garrigue, peppery herbs, kirsch, flowers, smoked herbs, and spice. The vibrant palate is long, seamless, and fresh, delivering non-stop, seamless layers of sweet, ripe kirsch. Drink from 2024-2038.

One of the great vintages of Rayas is still on top of its game. Full, deep, and intense, the wine opens with garrigue, peppery herbs, kirsch, flowers, smoked herbs, and spice. The vibrant palate is long, seamless, and fresh, delivering non-stop, seamless layers of sweet, ripe kirsch. Drink from 2024-2038.

141 Views   Tasted
The best bottle of this I have ever tasted! Perhaps it's due to reaching maturity at 25 years of age, or maybe the cork was perfect. The provenance was right as I have held this since close to release. Regardless, from start to finish, this was heart-stopping! The wealth of cherries, ranging from white, to red to black, coupled with sweet plums, soaking in kirsch on the nose and palate was gorgeous. But it is the incredible purity of the fruit, the elegance, refinement, length and persistence, with a seamless, silky, 60 second finish that carried it across the triple-digit goal post. Wines like this define what great wines are all about.

The best bottle of this I have ever tasted! Perhaps it's due to reaching maturity at 25 years of age, or maybe the cork was perfect. The provenance was right as I have held this since close to release. Regardless, from start to finish, this was heart-stopping! The wealth of cherries, ranging from white, to red to black, coupled with sweet plums, soaking in kirsch on the nose and palate was gorgeous. But it is the incredible purity of the fruit, the elegance, refinement, length and persistence, with a seamless, silky, 60 second finish that carried it across the triple-digit goal post. Wines like this define what great wines are all about.

5,308 Views   Tasted
What's not to love? A blast of perfectly ripe kirsch, cherry liqueur, garrigue, spice and fennel on the nose. Pure silky cherries on the palate and a long, elegant, rich, fruit filled finish that stays with you. This tastes at least 10 years younger than its true age. Absolutely stunning! This might deserve another Pt, this is the best showing yet for this beauty...

What's not to love? A blast of perfectly ripe kirsch, cherry liqueur, garrigue, spice and fennel on the nose. Pure silky cherries on the palate and a long, elegant, rich, fruit filled finish that stays with you. This tastes at least 10 years younger than its true age. Absolutely stunning! This might deserve another Pt, this is the best showing yet for this beauty...

3,195 Views   Tasted
Still young, fresh and lively and 20, the wine is intense, concentrated and packed with red, white and black cherries, along with Framboise, garrigue and spice. This quite powerful for a 20 year old Chateauneuf du Pape.

Still young, fresh and lively and 20, the wine is intense, concentrated and packed with red, white and black cherries, along with Framboise, garrigue and spice. This quite powerful for a 20 year old Chateauneuf du Pape.

3,010 Views   Tasted
Surprisingly young, the wine is deep, concentrated and fresh, with layers of sweet, ripe and over ripe cherries, kirsch, strawberry liqueur, pepper and herbs. Popped and poured, the wine improved in the glass. A short decant would have helped soften the wine and allow more aromatics to shine. This really showed like it was at least 5-10 years younger. It's too bad Rayas is now so expensive. It's as much, or more of a treat than a First Growth when these bottles are popped today.

Surprisingly young, the wine is deep, concentrated and fresh, with layers of sweet, ripe and over ripe cherries, kirsch, strawberry liqueur, pepper and herbs. Popped and poured, the wine improved in the glass. A short decant would have helped soften the wine and allow more aromatics to shine. This really showed like it was at least 5-10 years younger. It's too bad Rayas is now so expensive. It's as much, or more of a treat than a First Growth when these bottles are popped today.

3,416 Views   Tasted
Wow! Or should I say WOW! This is everything that is great about Chateauneuf du Pape and Rayas. Kirsch, earth, garrigue, cherry liqueur and pepper, with silky, attention grabbing textures and a long, concentrated, fresh, clean, pure cherry finish. This is entering the sweet spot of its drinking window. OK, it's pricey, but this is Rayas from a great vintage, what did you expect?

Wow! Or should I say WOW! This is everything that is great about Chateauneuf du Pape and Rayas. Kirsch, earth, garrigue, cherry liqueur and pepper, with silky, attention grabbing textures and a long, concentrated, fresh, clean, pure cherry finish. This is entering the sweet spot of its drinking window. OK, it's pricey, but this is Rayas from a great vintage, what did you expect?

4,637 Views   Tasted
An explosion of lavender, cherry griotte, black pepper, licorice, stone, earth, spice, black raspberry and strawberry jam greets your nose. Lush, dense, sensuous and palate coating, this spicy, intense, ripe, peppery, sweet cherry filled Chateauneuf du Pape is a stunning example of what Rayas does at its best.

An explosion of lavender, cherry griotte, black pepper, licorice, stone, earth, spice, black raspberry and strawberry jam greets your nose. Lush, dense, sensuous and palate coating, this spicy, intense, ripe, peppery, sweet cherry filled Chateauneuf du Pape is a stunning example of what Rayas does at its best.

6,116 Views   Tasted
Ripe kirsch, strawberry and cherry flavors paried with intensity, purity and a sexy, sauvage profile. Still young .

Ripe kirsch, strawberry and cherry flavors paried with intensity, purity and a sexy, sauvage profile. Still young .

2,395 Views   Tasted

When to Drink Chateau Rayas, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau Rayas can be enjoyed on the young side. However, the wine is much better with age. Still, due to its soft, pure, elegant, fresh style young vintages can be popped and poured, or decanted for 2 hours, give or take. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.

Chateau Rayas is usually better after 8-10 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage. In the best vintages, the wine should be consumed within 10-30 years after the vintage.

Serving Chateau Rayas with Wine, Food Pairing Tips

Rayas is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.

Chateau Rayas is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, stewed dishes, sausage, and cassoulet. Chateau Rayas is also good with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms pasta, eggplant, and tomatoes.

The white wine of Rayas is best served with a myriad of different seafood dishes, shellfish, crab, lobster, sushi, sashimi, chicken, pork, and veal, as well as Asian cuisine.

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