Message just received from Châteauneuf-du-Pape:
On November 25th, 2025, we received with great sadness the news of the death of Emmanuel Reynaud, owner of Château Rayas. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go to his children and his family.
It was in 1997 at the sudden death of his uncle Jacques Reynaud, who had no direct heir, that Emmanuel, who then managed the Château des Tours in Sarrians following his fathers’ steps, found himself propelled to the helm of the mythical Château Rayas, but
also of other wines from the family estates, Pignan, Fonsalette and the Pialade.
After a transitional period during which Emmanuel began renovating the wine cellars and the vineyard, he devoted himself to crafting « vins de lieux »- site-specific wines. He drew deep inspiration from his parcels of old Grenache nestled among the pines, on
meticulously perfected sandy soils, echoing the appellation’s maritime past.
Favoring finesse over robustness, long ageing over a rapid market introduction, Emmanuel, who took pride in being the last to start harvesting, quickly stamped the wines of the various estates with his signature style. He did so without ever betraying the legacy of his ancestors, nor flinging open the doors of his barrel cellar, even as visitors from around the world hastened there in the hope of being welcomed in to taste by his side.
If he did not give in to the pressure of media coverage, Emmanuel nevertheless welcomed passionate people to share with them their impressions and emotions, without seeing time fly by. It was important, however, not to arrive without an appointment or even perfumed at the risk of being politely turned away, just as his uncle Jacques had done before him, whose personality and wines were elevated to near-legendary
status by Robert Parker, the renowned American critic and founder of The Wine Advocate.
While the wines of Château Rayas, renowned for their singular texture and unwavering freshness, are among the Rhône, if not French, wines that regularly send auction prices soaring, Emmanuel Reynaud has once again managed to keep a cool head and resist any temptation toward inflation. With tireless dedication and great wisdom, he has continued to serve his allocated clients and loyal buyers, leaving little hope for new
enthusiasts to ever secure even a few bottles of Rayas, Pignan, or Château des Tours.
In this, Emmanuel has proven himself a worthy successor to his uncle, and before him his grandfather Louis, guardians of family traditions, the spirit of the estate, and the long, patient timeline required to forge a legend.
My most recent article about Rayas is here but there are many more. I now realise how lucky I was to visit and taste wth him three or four times, once quite recently. I also had the privilege of turning up for an appointment to find he was nowhere to be found.