2000 Chateau Fonsalette Cuvée Syrah
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Tasting notes
The 2000 Fonsalette Côtes du Rhône Cuvee Syrah is just a sensational wine any way you look at it, and now at close to 17 years of age, its freshness and purity is even more remarkable. Offers terrific notes of ripe dark fruits, spice-box, saddle leather and garrigue, this beauty is seamless, silky and incredibly elegant on the palate. Possessing terrific purity, a balanced, seamless style and no hard edges, I don’t see any upside, yet it should easily keep for another 4-5 years.
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Robert Parker
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
A monster effort, the deep purple-colored 2000 Fonsalette Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Syrah reveals characteristics of animal fur, licorice, blackberries, and mushroom/truffle notes. With superb concentration, huge body, and a monolithic, backward personality, it will be at its best between 2007-2018. A disclaimer is in order concerning the following tasting notes. While the bottled 2000s were easy to taste, the 2001 barrel tastings at Rayas were challenging because there was no electricity in the cellars. Rayas was one of many estates where electricity had been cut off by the floods of September 8 and 9. Hence, the tasting was conducted by flashlight ... a first in my 25 years of experience. It was hard to get a grasp of the barrel samples' colors when viewed by flashlight, but they appeared to be light to medium ruby. However, darkly pigmented wines are rarely produced at this domaine. There have been some deep-colored vintages of Rayas (1995, 1990, and 1989), but most are surprisingly weak in color, yet intense in flavor. Importers: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173 and Martine's Wines, Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400
About the producer
Ch. Rayas is a cult name in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The wines – pure, silken expressions of Grenache with distinctive perfume – are revered for their singularity and fiercely collected. Made by Emmanuel Reynaud and renowned for their ageability, they have become some of the region's most sought-after.