1990 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve

The 1990 Châteauneuf-du-Pape flirts with that tantalizing intangibility of perfection. The bouquet is heavenly, loaded with melted red fruit, kirsch, touches of Christmas cake, leather and aniseed. Aromas seem to billow and, like your favorite aunt, give the olfactory senses a warm maternal hug. Armed with stunning delineation, I could have just inhaled its perfume all night. The palate is sweet on the entry with cashmere tannins and perfect acidity. Tart cherries and rooibos intertwine towards the sensual finish. It is an utterly spellbinding Châteauneuf-du-Pape that surpasses even my own sky-high expectations. God invented wine to drink wines like this.

An incredible tasting experience. The wealth of sweet, ripe, silky, refined cherries and kirsch is almost beyond belief. Not quite as concentrated or fresh as it was just a few years ago, this stunner offers a uniqueness of character not found in other wines. The purity in the fruit is spell-binding. There is length, complexity and sensuality that grabs you and keeps your interest from start to finish. This is not a wine to hold for further development. While the decline will be slow, it\'s best to catch this at, or close to its peak and not on the way down.

Mature ruby with a pale rim. Sweet and rich and vibrant. Heady and medicinal in a thoroughly good way. Great freshness. Jewels and spice. Bravo! Still lots of life! (JR)