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Château Rayas | Fine Wine, Champagne, Vintage Port and Spirits Auction | 24 February 2026
Wine has always attracted myth, madness, and the occasional brush with the otherworldly. Few places embody this better than Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where extraordinary wines have inspired extraordinary stories. Yet, when a wine reaches a certain level of brilliance, it demands belief. Few estates capture this collision of legend and reality more completely than Château Rayas. In our Fine Wine, Champagne, Vintage Port and Spirits auction on 24 February, we are pleased to be offering wines from this fabled estate. Here, Senior Wine Consultant, Mark Robertson tells us more about this wine.
In the 1950’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape locals reported multiple sightings of UFOs, supposedly trying to steal the secrets off local wine makers. This is true - not just me writing after a few glasses of the stuff.
Wisely, local politicians put into law that UFOs were not allowed to fly over the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Appellation. A law that still stands today! Sensible behaviour when you consider just how good Châteauneuf-du-Pape can be. The last thing you want is more competition from another galaxy when the Languedoc is just down the road or those pesky Australians.
However, even with this law, I doubt our extraterrestrial oenologists/ future overlords will ever create anything like Château Rayas.
The vineyard was purchased in 1880 by Albert Reynaud as somewhere to convalesce after going blind at 45. He looked like such a kind, lovely man, and I can only imagine that the overwhelming smell of herbs and thyme in the air was a motive, rather than the vines. He would have no idea that his heirs would make his small estate one of the most important wines ever made and become part of every great cellar.
The name 'Rayas' means “just a small clearing in the wood”. I love the simplicity of this and how perfectly it encapsulates the wine. Only Grenache on a unique sandy soil and grown at a rare high altitude on north facing slopes. A visit to the vineyard tells you more about the wines than tasting them. Blended and aged in barrels as old as the vines themselves, and created by just four men over 150 years of the same family. Never has this lack of complication created such complexity in a wine.
The estate has grown to include Château de Fonsalette, Pignan and Château des Tours. All truly extraordinary wines - sought after throughout the world. I recently drank their 1995 Côtes du Rhône, and if this is their “little wine”, then yes, I believe the UFO stories!
In February, Dreweatts is delighted and truly privileged to offer Château Rayas and other red and white wines from the estate. Vintages dating from 1989-2012, and taking in three of the generations. All purchased directly from the UK agent and stored in perfect conditions ever since.
Auction Details
This is a live online auction with an auctioneer. The auction will take place on Tuesday 24 February (starting at 10.30am GMT) at Dreweatts Newbury, but please note all wine and spirits are stored off-site at LCB Eton Park. Bidding is available online, by telephone, by commission bids or in person at Dreweatts. Please contact Dreweatts to register all commission bids or telephone bids by 12 noon GMT the day before the sale.
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THINKING OF SELLING?
Our specialists can provide valuations on single bottles and entire cellars, as well as advice on starting and maintaining your cellar. For further details or a free auction valuation, please contact:
Dreweatts Wine Department
Mark Robertson | Violette Jongbloed | Emily Clarke | Lucy Dadd
Direct tel: +44 (0) 1635 553 594
Main tel: +44 (0) 1635 553 553
E-mail: wine@dreweatts.com
