Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve (white wine) - Château Rayas 2012

The Estate

A mythical property in the Rhône region, Château Rayas represents the pinnacle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. A remarkable producer from the southern Rhône, the Château predates its oldest vines as its history dates back to the 1880s. Founded by Albert Reynaud, it was his son Louis who initiated the bottling at the estate and the marketing of the estate's wines, which were rare at the time. Since then, the estate has remained family-owned, now managed by the father-son duo Emmanuel and Louis Damien, the fourth and fifth generations. The Reynauds also own the Château des Tours and Château Fonsalette. The Château Rayas consists of 23 hectares of land, including 12 hectares of vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with 10 of them dedicated to red wine production with a complement of white.

Emmanuel Reynaud took over the Châteaux Rayas, des Tours, and de Fonsalette following the death of his uncle in 1997. Before his succession, Emmanuel was already managing the Domaine des Tours where he had created the cellar and developed marketing since 1989. At the heart of the southern Rhône wine appellations, he offers his wines under the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC).