Chateauneuf du Pape rouge 2015 Chateau Rayas

The Châteauneuf du Pape Rouge 2015 from Château Rayas is one of the most legendary wines in the world, the absolute reference for Grenache. Airy, deep and of singular finesse, it offers rare complexity and emotion, enhanced by a decade of bottle ageing in a great vintage. This bottle qualifies for the Grand Chevalier tier of the Confrérie des Clos Vivants.

Terroir and vines
Château Rayas lies to the north east of Châteauneuf du Pape, on a terroir that sets it apart from all its neighbours. Here there are no large rolled pebbles: the vines grow in fine sands and clays, in small plots often surrounded by woodland and generally facing north. This cool position gives wines of great finesse, far from the usual power of the appellation. The red comes exclusively from old Grenache vines, yielding extremely low volumes and harvested by hand. The 2015 vintage, hot and sunny, produced ripe, concentrated and perfectly healthy grapes.

Tasting profile
The colour is luminous garnet, with a transparency almost reminiscent of Burgundy. The nose is captivating: raspberry, candied cherry, wild strawberry and kirsch, with notes of faded rose, garrigue, leather, incense and gentle spice. The palate is silky and airy, with striking depth, carried by tannins of great fineness and remarkable freshness. The finish is endless, spiced and floral. It is only beginning to open and will continue to evolve for twenty years or more.

The estate
Founded by Albert Reynaud at the beginning of the twentieth century, Château Rayas was elevated to legendary status by his son Jacques Reynaud. On Jacques's death in 1997, his nephew Emmanuel Reynaud took over the estate and led it for nearly thirty years, with a singular style, away from fashion, with very low yields and ageing in old barrels. His passing in 2025 deeply moved the wine world. This 2015 vintage, vinified under his hand, becomes all the more precious and sought after by collectors around the globe.

Food and wine pairings
Serve between 16 and 17 °C, after decanting for one to two hours. It will elevate roast pigeon, woodcock, hare à la royale, a rack of spring lamb with herbs or a fillet of beef with black truffles. With cheese, it pairs very well with a 36 month Comté or an aged sheep's milk tomme.