Chateau Rayas Cotes du Rhone La Pialade 2019

Chateau Rayas Côtes-du-Rhône La Pialade 2019
Sunny, low-yield 2019 gave Reynaud’s north-facing sands extra concentration, yet La Pialade retains the whisper-light signature that sets every Rayas label apart. Selected from younger-vine Rayas and Fonsalette parcels, the blend of Grenache with a splash of Cinsault and Syrah shows blood-orange brightness beneath its kirsch perfume. Whole clusters add garrigue spice, while ancient foudres cradle the fruit without weight. A fraction of the domaine’s output, La Pialade vanishes almost before it ships.

Producer: Chateau Rayas
Vintage: 2019
Designation: Côtes-du-Rhône
Parcels / Lieu-dit: Pignan and Fonsalette sand plots
Variety: 80 % Grenache, 15 % Cinsault, 5 % Syrah
Average Vine Age: 35 years 
Soils & Exposure: Fine red sand with limestone and galets; cool north-facing clearings
Fermentation: 100 % whole-cluster, native yeasts in concrete vats; 8-12 day maceration
Élevage: 15 months in 80-100-year-old foudres; bottled unfiltered with minimal SO₂
Alcohol: 14.5 % vol.
Total Production: 1.200 cases (about 14.400 bottles)
Fun Fact: La Pialade began as a cuvée reserved for the Reynaud family table before friends persuaded them to bottle it commercially.

The Domaine
Founded in 1880, Chateau Rayas is the most singular voice in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Twelve hectares of cool, sand-rich vine - now stewarded by Emmanuel Reynaud - yield Grenache of haunting perfume and featherweight power. Low yields, organic farming and ancient foudres preserve an almost pre-modern transparency. Demand perpetually eclipses supply, making every Rayas bottling a coveted treasure among collectors.