In 1997, in the heart of the Rhône Valley, Emmanuel Reynaud succeeded his late uncle Jacques at the helm of Châteaux Rayas and Tours. Yet the terroirs of the two estates are very different.
The story of an exceptional estate
Located in the southern Rhône valley, Château des Tours is part of a three-chateau estate now owned by Emmanuel Reynaud: Château Rayas, Château des Tours and Château Fonsalette.
A family estate, its origins date back to the 1930s, when Louis Reynaud, son of Albert Reynaud (who had owned Château Rayas since 1880), acquired Château des Tours between 1935 and 1938. In 1945, Château Fonsalette joined the estate.
Jacques Reynaud, son of Louis, took over the running of Château Rayas and Château Fonsalette when his father died in 1978. His nephew, Emmanuel Reynaud, inherited the Tours estate, where he set up a winery and developed the Château des Tours wines from 1989 onwards.
In 1997, following the death of Jacques Reynaud, Emmanuel amalgamated the three estates to form a single estate. The three wines(Château Rayas, Château des Tours, Château Fonsalette) are made at Château Rayas (Rayas and Fonsalette) and Château des Tours.
A Rhodanian terroir
The wines produced by the domaine are at the heart of the southern Rhône Valley. They are divided between AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône, Vacqueyras and Côtes du Rhône Village.
It covers 40 hectares of mixed farming, with vines, mother vines, cereals and a plot of olive trees. The vines are planted with Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Merlot and Counoise for the reds. The white varieties are Grenache Blanc and Clairette.
Emmanuel Reynaud pays particular attention to the vines and terroir, and meticulously plans the harvest. This is to ensure that the grapes are as perfectly ripe as possible. The wines produced are the perfect expression of their terroir and are of the highest quality.
The wines
Every year, the estate’s wines set new standards in terms of balance and complexity. Their ageing potential is always surprising, whatever the vintage.
In fact, from Vacqueyras to vin de pays, they are always sold after a few years’ ageing on the estate, and their tasting is recommended after a few years’ cellaring.
Château des Tours Blanc is vinified under the Côtes-du-Rhône appellation, with 100% Grenache. Its light yellow color with a thick disk announces a certain opulence and unctuousness. On the nose, aromas of wax, anise, green almond and white-fleshed fruit reflect the wine’s great complexity. On the palate, there is perfect harmony between substance, freshness, finesse and complexity.
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