The Spanish Château Rayas
The two Anguera brothers are currently working at a level rarely seen in Spain.
During my last visit this spring, I happened to run into one of the world’s most renowned wine journalists — along with the UK and Canadian importers.
We tasted the new 2022 releases, right next to legendary cult wines from across the globe: Rayas, Mugnier, Haut Brion, Roulot, Overnoy, and many others…
It was a hard day at the office 😉…
Why the comparison with Rayas, the most iconic Grenache-based cult wine from France?
There’s plenty of Grenache — Garnacha, Garnatxa, Granatxa — in Spain. Many winemakers aim high and get close to the Rayas style.
Dani Landi is perhaps the best-known name with his Comando G project.
Just like here, he works biodynamically and with a non-interventionist approach.
But the Anguera brothers take things even further.
They now make just 1/4 of the quantity they did ten years ago, from the same vineyards. The turning point? A 2019 visit to Château Rayas. They also have a good relationship with owner Emmanuel Reynaud.
Back then, they were already working biodynamically and non-interventionist — but harvested early, due to warmer summers and earlier ripening. Their goal? A fresher style of Grenache.
During their visit, they realized they were on the wrong path. What Rayas does is exactly what their grandfather used to do in the 1950s and 60s: allow the grapes to ripen fully. And that means picking in early October.
Even if that means losing half the yield — so be it. It’s the only way to get wines with
true identity and full phenolic ripeness.
So from the 2020 harvest onward, they radically changed their harvest timing.
No more late August harvests like most of Montsant. Instead, they wait until early October…
And end up losing nearly half of their already small yields.
The whole grape bunches are then crushed in a small custom-made machine they developed themselves.
So: late harvest, and no destemming anymore.
By that point, more than half the grapes have turned into raisins on the vine.
In the past, those were discarded as “overripe”.
The result is then fermented slowly, of course with only wild yeasts.
The wines are pale in colour — but rich and Mediterranean in aroma.
Delicious!
They may look light, but they’re intense, long, and deeply complex.
According to the brothers, freshness now comes from the cool October nights — not from picking too early in August.
So you get high alcohol, yet the wine remains elegant and balanced.
Just like… right, Château Rayas.
One thing I still need to convince them of: just like me, they are deeply convinced of the quality of their wines and their philosophy — but they refuse to send samples to R. Parker and co.
Which is a pity, because that matters. Let’s be honest: you might not believe me right away… unless Parker suddenly drops a 99/100 score. Then it becomes “credible”, right? 😉
So yes — no Parker score for this 2022.
But there’s a big advantage: you’ve probably already tasted the 2020 or 2021. So you already know it’s phenomenal.
As simple as that. It’s totally my kind of wine…!!