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Domaine Ray-Jane
Nothing can quite prepare you for the tasting room at Domaine Ray-Jane; even
knowing the proprietor, Raymond Constant, had a penchant for collecting vinous
antiquities, I was still taken aback by just how much is crammed into this tiny
room. Remarkably, this is just a
small
part of Raymond's collection, which comprises several thousand pieces, which he
actively seeks out and purchases. The artefacts range from Roman amphora through
to relatively modern instruments, including some beautiful curved wood planes;
the crescent shape of these tools belies their use in the construction of
barrels, but it is the ornately carved handles that take your breath away. I can
only hope that my photograph conveys some sense of the Aladdin's Cave that the
Domaine Ray-Jane tasting room has become.
Raymond Constant took control of the family estate in 1968, subsequently
changing its name from Domaine Constant to Domaine Ray-Jane, after himself and
his wife Jeanne. His own son, Alain, has also long been involved in the running
of the estate. Together they have tended 14 ha of vines over the years,
predominantly Mourvèdre, with small areas of Grenache and Cinsaut. The vines are
situated on Triassic slopes around Le Plan du Castellet, with many old vines,
some over 100 years old. Viticulture is organic, and yields are kept low,
typically less than 35 hl/ha. The fruit is fermented without any destemming,
with up to twenty days maceration and malolactic, followed by blending; a
typical mix for the grand vin would be Mourvèdre 90%, Grenache 5% and
Cinsaut 5%. The wine then spends up to two years in oak, before bottling without
fining or filtrating. It sounds like a recipe for a great vin de garde,
and certainly the wines do have a following. Raymond finds they sell themselves,
with some top restaurants being among his main customers.
The wines at Ray-Jane were not easy to judge; I found little in favour of the rosés,
much preferring the Tempier and
Pibarnon versions. In fact I found little
complimentary to say about these two wines. Of the two red wines I assessed, the 2002 Bandol was rather
reticent, showing structure but little in the way of interesting character. This
seemed
like a closed phase rather than any major problem, and I expect this wine
will come good with time. This thought was reinforced by tasting the 2000, which
seemed vibrantly alive in comparison with the preceding wines, and was showing a
character much more typical of Bandol. Like many of the
wines of this appellation, this is a cuvée that demands time in the cellar
before it gives any pleasure. But it is not quite a vin de garde, despite the
obvious care and effort undertaken here, although that clearly doesn't bother the
locals, who trouped in by the carload during my tasting, each carrying empty 5
litre casks, to buy en vrac. Nevertheless, I
wasn't sufficiently convinced to join them in their purchasing. (11/10/05)
Contact details:
Address: 83330 Castellet
Telephone: +33 (0) 4 94 98 64 08
Fax: +33 (0) 4 94 98 68 72
Domaine Ray-Jane - Tasting Notes
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stockists:
La Vigne de Ray-Jane Rosé (VdT) 2003: Not labelled as the 2003
obviously, but I am informed that this is the vintage. A pale hue. Lacks
interest on the nose. Delicate flavour at best. It has rather prominent grip.
12/20 (August 2005)
Domaine Ray-Jane Bandol Rosé 2003: A slightly deeper hue than the
vin de table here, and a somewhat more expressive nose. Nevertheless, it
also lacks intrinsic appeal. Quite good at best. 13.5/20 (August 2005)
Domaine Ray-Jane Bandol 2002: Rather closed on the nose. Medium body,
with an adequate structure. Otherwise this wine shows little character of note
at the moment. There is potential, but presently difficult to judge. Perhaps
15+/20 (August 2005)
Domaine Ray-Jane Bandol 2000: Just two years on but this wine shows
considerable evolution compared with the 2002. Great typicity; very animalistic,
furry, meaty style. Elegant palate, refined and balanced, but with a dry
structure. Good, but still with plenty of potential for further development in
the cellar over the next five or so years. This is significantly better than
anything else poured here. 16+/20 (August 2005)
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