Chateauneuf du Pape blanc 2015 Chateau Rayas

The 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape blanc from Château Rayas is one of the rarest and most legendary white wines of the Rhône Valley. Produced in tiny quantities by a cult estate, it offers a depth, texture and complexity that stand apart, enhanced by a decade of ageing. This bottle qualifies for the Grand Chevalier tier of the Confrérie des Clos Vivants.

Terroir and vineyards
Château Rayas lies to the north east of Châteauneuf du Pape, on a terroir that sets it apart from its neighbours. Here there are no large rolled pebbles: the vines grow on fine sands and clays, in small plots surrounded by woodland and often facing north. This cooler position gives wines of great finesse and remarkable elegance. The white is a blend of Clairette and Grenache blanc, grown at very low yields and harvested by hand. The 2015 vintage, hot and sunny, produced ripe and perfectly healthy grapes.

Tasting profile
The colour is a deep, luminous gold. The nose is deep and complex: quince, ripe pear, dried apricot and citrus peel, with notes of honey, beeswax, dried flowers, toasted hazelnut and a touch of aniseed. The palate is full and unctuous, of great density, carried by a discreet but very present freshness. The finish is very long, saline and faintly spiced. It is now in a magnificent phase of opening and will keep for many more years.

The estate
Founded by Albert Reynaud at the start of the twentieth century, Château Rayas was raised to legendary status by his son Jacques Reynaud. After Jacques died in 1997, his nephew Emmanuel Reynaud took over the estate and led it for nearly thirty years, with a style of its own, apart from fashion, at very low yields and with ageing in old casks. His passing in 2025 deeply touched the wine world. This 2015 vintage, made under his hand, becomes all the more precious. Rayas is famous for its 100% Grenache red, but its white, rarer still, is just as sought after by collectors worldwide.

Food and wine pairing
Serve between 12 and 14 °C, after decanting for one hour. It will show beautifully with roast lobster, turbot with beurre blanc, Bresse chicken with morels, veal sweetbreads in cream or risotto with white truffle. Among cheeses, it pairs very well with a 36 month Comté, a Beaufort d'alpage or an aged goat's cheese.