Château Rayas: The meaning of wine (ENG)

TITLE TO BE RELEASED - FEBRUARY 2026

• Author: LAURE GASPAROTTO
• Photography by: FERRANTE FERRANTI
• Editor: Silvana Editoriale
• Language: English
• Date of publication: 02/2026
• Pages: 424
• Dimensions: 23 x 31 cm
• Format: Couverture rigide 
• ISBN: 9788836648481

Presentation:

North, sand, forest.” Following in his ancestors’ footsteps from 1997 until his death in 2025, Emmanuel Reynaud, owner and manager of Château Rayas, resorted to these three elements to sum up the keys to understanding the mystery of this legendary wine, considered one of the most unique and accomplished in the world.

Rayas is synonymous with patience, humility, and uncompromising clarity. In a world that champions speed, the distinctive culture of this great wine teaches us a lesson in slowness, instructing us to wait, to respect, and to give thanks. For generations, Rayas has been for the Reynaud family a commitment to tradition and the authenticity of this place. The result of five years of work, this exceptional book is first and foremost a tribute to this spirit.

Born from the encounter between Emmanuel Reynaud, Thomas Abegg (publisher of the Swiss magazine MARMITE), and Jérôme Neutres (art historian), this book brings together essays and testimonials from leading authors and experts, starting from wine historian Laure Gasparotto, critic Robert Parker, and several renowned sommeliers and Michelin-starred chefs. Page after page, this exquisitely refined book shares the history and voices of Rayas, immersing us in the vineyard, its plots, and its cellars, thanks to the photographs by Ferrante Ferranti, guided by Emmanuel Reynaud during a dozen visits to the estate.

This unique work, the first dedicated to Rayas, opens the door to a world rarely revealed, a legend for many. With each page, each image, each testimony from the foremost experts on these rare and precious wines, we understand that here the question is not about the spirit of the times, but about destiny; not about splendor, but about profound depth. This book about Château Rayas can and should be read as a spiritual journey, and a meditation on the beauty and secrets of the land and its relationship with men. 

The author:

A journalist at Le Monde, Laure Gasparotto has been a wine specialist for over twenty years. She is also a renowned wine taster and author of several books on wine. Her Atlas des vins de France (Atlas of French Wines) is the definitive reference work on French vineyards. Among other titles, she has published Le jour où il n’y aura plus de vin (The Day There Will Be No More Wine) with nurseryman Lilian Bérillon and La Mécanique des vins (The Mechanics of Wine) with Olivier Jullien, both with Grasset.