Doug Powers

9.7

Iodine, smoke, classic well-aged Syrah aromas and flavors, this threw SO MUCH sediment that a decant WAS REQUIRED (and I wish I could post the picture of the sediment glop, it was equally as thick and dark as any great Vintage Porto I’ve ever seen after decanting). This is still youthful in so many ways, and still shows some big tannic structure, for now, it just needs food. Finish is super long, just an amazing “COTES DU RHONE” I purchased in 1986 when we lived in Brooklyn Heights, I was lucky enough to but TWO cases for $150/each, or $12.50/bottle, and I have 2 more bottles for sure!! Simply amazing juice!!!
OK, you guys KNOW I have some backstories here to tell — (1) This wine is a 250-case cuvée, which in this particular bottle’s case was made by the legendary Jacques Reynaud (who owned Rayas and the other properties, Chateau Pignan CdP and Fonsalette CdR, before tragically passing in 1997, when his nephew Emmanuel took over, and Emmanuel himemself just passed); (2) I used to buy Rayas and Pignan back in the 1980s in Brooklyn Heights at my neighborhood wine store, 10 to 15 year old vintages were available for $30 or so per bottle, but last ones I bought were 1988-1990 Pignan and Fonsalette in California; (3) my brother and I used to bring Rayas. (1974, 1976 and 1978) to restaurants in Napa (paying corkage) back in the late 1980s/early 1990s, where very few wait staff even knew what they were; and (4) I personally can no longer play with the big boys for younger vintages, but Rayas and Fonsalette “Cuvée Syrah” are truly collector wines, the latter in particular is built to last 30-50 years, I doubt many folks would ever age them that long, nor find them appealing at age 5/10/15, so most of the above information is likely of no use (last vintage I bought was 1989, but 2 or 3 bottle limit, and those weredrunk long ago). But damn, what a fantastic time capsule of a grape grown in the wrong place (southern France) making such an immortal wine!! Doug — 10 days ago

with Jim

Dean Butler

9.0

At Barrington’s. — 3 years ago

Doug Powers

9.2

Very mineral and floral up front, seems riper than the Pignan Regnie and Chamonard Morgon, but 2011 seems to supply the requisite backbone and structure, nice balance, medium-long finish, very good! — 5 years ago

with Jim

Erica Gamble

9.2

Acidity smoothed out with breathing. Strong plum. Made in steel instead of oak. — 7 years ago

Kenta Hayashi

9.2

Decanted for a hour and blinded. Exotic fruit, not Burgundy but overlapping aromas of prunes, raisins, liquorice, black fruit, and leafy. Cool and elegant. Perhaps a combination of makers touch and vintage? Hard to believe this is Rhone but only one producers style comes to mind. One of Reynaud's estates. Guessed Pignan! Becomes darker and more one dimensional after a while. — 8 years ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.5

Wallys feng — 2 months ago

Conrad Green

9.4

This is delicious. Bright red fruit, some spice and real character and complexity. Fantastic stuff — 5 months ago

with Walker and David

Timothy Eustis

Wine Director, Red Lion Inn

9.2

This is full gas. Pretty and muscular. All at the same time. Tight fruit but and balanced. 2018 — 2 years ago

Brian S

9.1

Smoky, meaty, and minty, good but needs lamb. — 3 years ago

Martinez

9.4

One of Usseglio’s top cuvées, Mon Aïeul (“my granddad”) is 100% Grenache from some of the estate’s oldest vines (about 85 years of age) in La Crau, La Guigasse and Les Grandes Serres lieux-dits – each with a different type of soil.

Situated on an elevated plateau to the east of the village, La Crau is perhaps Châteauneuf’s most famous cru, known for its distinctive “galets roulés”, large, rounded river stones deposited here by the Rhône millions of years ago. To the south of the village, Les Grandes Serres is a very warm site on gravelly alluvial soils (and the source of the estate’s biggest wine, the 18% ABV “Not for You”). La Guigasse, on the other hand, is a cooler, sandier site with hardly any galets located on the northeastern part of the appellation, near the famous Pignan and Rayas lieux-dits (Chateau Rayas)

Mostly unoaked, it was brought up in concrete vats, with 15-20% in demi-muids. Ruby red color. Intensely perfumed, with notes of red and dark fruit (strawberry, raspberry), licorice and herbs. Full-bodied, rich, opulent and concentrated. Ripe fruit (cherry) and white pepper, smooth and creamy on the palate. Long, velvety, quite tannic finish. Hedonistic wine. — 4 years ago

Craig Williams

9.1

I have found Cristia to be very similar to Pignan/Rayas in the past owing to the old vines and essentially 100% Grenache. This is so young and extracted, it’s challenging to know what to make of this wine. Needs at least another decade to refine the phenolics. Quite ripe and raw at the moment. Judgement conditional. — 8 years ago

with Maureen and Gavin

Kirsten Gustafson

9.7

Love ❤️❤️❤️ — 10 years ago

Timothy Eustis

Wine Director, Red Lion Inn

9.3

This shone. Really good. Powerful. — 3 months ago

Bridget Meagher

9.1

2016 Jack — 7 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

This is a delicious Grenache from Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Rich and extracted. Fruit forward and complex.

Dry on the palate with a nice mouthfeel.

Showing red and black fruits with light wood, spices, coffee, dark chocolates, earth, tobacco leaf, herbs and peppercorn.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

Well balanced, and needs time to open up properly.

Still young, but already enjoyable even by itself, and will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years. Showing good potential to become a 94+ point wine.

A great sipping wine that will pair nicely with food too.

100% Grenache grapes, from 70 year old vines, were aged in French oak barrels for 15 months. A small production of only 6,000 bottles.

15.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$85. — a year ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

I’m glad we still have Randall Grahm to make special wines like this because Lord knows the shitty US importer of Rayas, Pignan, Fonsallette and even Chateau des Tours has decided it’s easier to phone it in by selling out Reynaud Grenaches to the elite “swells” though private channels rather than making it available to less well-heeled wine lovers through normal retail. Fuck that shit. As for my take on this excellent wine, see my most recent note from August 2022 on this, but this is incrementally better and more complex and resolved after several more months’ rest. — 3 years ago

Katie

9.5

Wine club November — 6 years ago

Alex Lallos

Owner No Limit Fine Wines, Private Wine Consultant

9.1

This is beautifully rustic. The evolution could have not been better. It’s peaking now and by no means dead. Reminds me of pignan in many ways. Light ruby. grapefruit skin on the nose with some light animale and spice. Pomegranate and wild strawberry. Absolutely intoxicating nose and the palate is silk. Bottle was finished in no time. Super easy — 6 years ago

Jon Bergqvist

9.2

Lighter than the Rayas and Pignan but with the same or perhaps some added elegance. Has everything you want and expect from one of Reynauds wines: warm ripe strawberries, petrichor and iodine. No need to wait. — 8 years ago

Keith Herrick

9.2

Very clean and elegant for CDP. Reminded me in style of rayas... Or pignan anyway — 11 years ago