1989 Château Rayas Château de Fonsalette Côtes du Rhône Rouge Reserve
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Tasting notes
Very spicy, with notes of pepper, cinnamon, fresh herbs and black fruit. Full bodied, dense with a healthy dose of tannin to resolve. On the palate, black fruit and cherries. A rustic style of wine that while I recognize it\'s well made, it\'s not my style of wine
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
More reviews and scores
The 1989 Fonsalette Cotes du Rhone is a beautifully made, seductive mouthful of wine. It is all velvet and silk, and there is a whopping degree of alcohol in the finish. Along with the huge 1990, it appears to be the finest Fonsalette since the late 1970s. The tannin is soft and the acidity is low, yet the wine's concentration and magical flavors (over-ripe, jammy cherries, truffles, grilled meats, and thyme) are dazzling. Drink it over the next 10-12 years. Imported by Martine's Wines, San Rafael, CA; tel. (415) 485-1800, Wines of France, Alain Junguenet, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173, and Ideal Wines, Medford, MA; tel. (617) 395-3300
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.