1996 Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Syrah
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
From a cool terroir located 25 kilometers north of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and from Syrah cuttings from J.L Chave, the 1996 Château Rayas Côtes du Rhône Château de Fonsalette Cuvée Syrah is a big, rich and meaty wine with ripe, smoky cassis and black cherry fruits mixed with peppered steak, dusty earth and raw meat aromas. I was more than a little surprised at how northern Rhône like this seemed; you don’t find that smoked meat quality paired with fresh acidity in many southern Rhône Syrahs. The wine is medium to full bodied with concentrated fruit, noticeable acidity, a softy, mouth filling texture, beautiful balance and long, smoky finish. This still has plenty of substance and while the tannins are starting to resolve, should have another solid 10+ years of superb drinking.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The dense 1996 Fonsalette Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Syrah is, surprisingly, sweet and supple. It offers an intriguing nose of animal fur, blackberries, cassis, and earthy overtones. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, chewy, and thick, this is a mouthfilling, palate-staining Syrah that should age well for 15 or more years. Importers: Martine's Wines, San Rafael, CA; tel. (415) 485-1800 and Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173
Deep red-ruby color. Perfumed, subtle aromas of black raspberry, violet, licorice and pepper. Distinctly blacker fruit flavors than the Château Rayas '96, with notes of licorice and pepper. Perhaps less fine and not quite so long on the aftertaste, but juicy, firm and penetrating. I'd expect both this cuvée and the Rayas Châteauneuf to merit higher scores with four or five years of bottle aging.
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.