1994 Chateau Fonsalette Cuvée Syrah
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Tasting notes
A big surprise was the degree to which I blew it with respect to Jacques Reynaud's 1994s. Now in bottle, they are significantly richer and more complete than my reviews indicated when I tasted the component parts last year. The 1994 Fonsalette Cuvee Syrah (only 4000 bottles produced) achieved 14.5% alcohol naturally. This black-colored, staggeringly rich wine is not far behind the other-worldly 1995. It hits the palate with a crescendo of massive portions of cassis fruit, smoke, earth, and Asian spices. Extremely thick, unctuous, and moderately tannic, this is an enormously-endowed, gargantuan Syrah that will require 7-10 years of cellaring. It is another 30-year wine. This wine was tasted between June 1 and June 16, 1996. Importer: Martine's Wines, San Rafael, CA; tel. (415) 485-1800
Critic scores
Robert Parker
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.