The 1989 Chateau Rayas is an absolute peach. Deep in colour, it has an intense, flamboyant yet beautifully controlled bouquet that oozes sensuality from every pore: blackcurrant pastilles, dark plum, hint of Alpine forest and bacon fat. It is extraordinarily pure and yet it transports you straight to the region, something that magical wines have a propensity to do. The palate is structured and focused, a Chateauneuf-du-Pape with palpable presence and class, building gently in the mouth towards a youthful, strident finish that suggests it will last another couple of decades... easily. This is a wine to lose yourself in. Tasted August 2013.