Rayas’ flagship wine comes from ancient Grenache vines buried in fine sand that are surrounded by towering, guardian-like pine trees—a terroir that no other Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyard can replicate. Like First Growth Bordeaux and Grand Cru Burgundy, Château Rayas doesn’t start hitting its full stride until 15 years after the vintage, but there’s certainly no crime enjoying them now. The 2008 reads like a profound Grand Cru Burgundy with a wild edge whereas the 2009 shows the unmitigated power, brawny strength, and luxurious polish of CdP. They are distinctly unique creatures; rare breeds that show you just how mystical the enigmatic estate of Rayas is. There is nothing else like it on earth. 

The extended Reynaud family first acquired the now-legendary Château Rayas in 1880, but it wasn’t made famous until Louis and Jacques Reynaud took over. Having influenced an entire region by upholding tradition and exposing the greatness of its wines to outsiders, this father-son team will forever be in the annals of Rhône winemaking. Jacques led a private life, making hauntingly beautiful wines that soared in demand and price, but he never once made a blip on the “ego radar. He was a traditionalist farmer through and through: A spindly, hard-to-find dirt road wound its way up to the antiquated estate and electricity didn’t make an appearance here until the late 1980s. If someone wanted to visit the estate, booking an appointment was rarer than a white Christmas in Hawaii. 

As his career progressed, Jacques became known as “the godfather of Châteauneuf-du-Pape,” so when his unexpected death came in 1997, the wine world lost their breath. Who would take over? His wife tapped the shoulder of their nephew, Emmanuel Reynaud, who was the winemaker at his father’s estate, Château des Tours, in nearby Vacqueyras. He, too, is a true-blue farmer, and although it took some years to find the soulful, inimitable style that Jacques created, it is almost unanimously agreed that the 2005 vintage was Rayas’ return to fame. 

The special sites used for Rayas’ flagship Réservé and all are situated in fine-grained sand that makes these 70-year-old vines struggle in the best possible way. Lofty pine trees, or pignans, (also the name of Rayas’ second wine) flank and protect these senior vines from harsh elements. This cooler microclimate usually means that Rayas is the last to harvest in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. In the winery, grapes remain on their stems and a long, natural fermentation and maceration occur without any temperature control. The wine is racked once and rests a few months in enamel vats before being transferred into old French casks of various sizes. The wine is bottled without fining or filtration two years after the vintage. Just pure, traditional winemaking from start to finish. 

In the glass, Rayas’ 2008 shows a bright ruby red core with slight brick orange at the rim. This isn’t as lush and hedonistic as some vintages (re: 2009), but it doesn’t sacrifice any signature aromas: You’ll find black cherry, kirsch, wild raspberries, dried mushroom, garrigue, sandalwood, herbes de Provence, red licorice, anise, and a cooling menthol sensation. The elegant palate is pushing medium-plus bodied and is eerily Pinot-like with generous Mediterranean flair. It offers up plenty of savory herbs and wild, supple fruit next to a piquant rush of minerality; just an elegantly profound piece of art. That’s the magic of Rayas. And then you have the thundering power of the full-bodied 2009. It is remarkably intoxicating and bursting at the seams with licorice, plush brambleberries, dark fruit liqueur, and a potent blend of flowers, wild shrubbery, and white pepper. Although considered “infanticide” by Emannuel, these can be enjoyed now (especially the ‘08) with a long decant—no less than two hours. The genuine revelatory experience, however, will come around 2022 for the ‘08 and 2030 for the ‘09. These are among the rarest gems in the world of wine, so please don’t squander them!