Château de Rayne Vigneau 2005

The Wine Independent

Tom Cannavan

Much lighter nose, with lots of sherbetty, lemony notes, pear fruit and not such obvious Botrytis character. Sweet and focused on the palate, this has really good sweetness and focus, but it is a clean, melon and ripe pear style, with racy acidity. Lovely stuff if not the weight and unctuousness of some.

Wine Enthusiast

While this wine is not powerful, it has elegance to go with the ripe fruit, fresh honey, lemon flavors and a core of dense dryness. With this vintage, Rayne Vigneau seems to be back where its vineyard, next to Yquem, suggests it should be.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Tasted blind at the 10-Year On Tasting in Sauternes. The 2005 Château de Rayne-Vigneau has a waxy, dried pineapple, honey and petrol-tinged bouquet that gains vigor in the glass. The palate is fresh and vibrant with plenty of botrytis: very harmonious with honeyed fruit laced with dried orange peel, quince and ginger. This builds extremely well in the mouth and fans out in glorious fashion on the finish. This is an excellent Sauternes that should give 20 or 30 years of pleasure.