Rayons
HONEY WINE
The philosophy
of Rayons
Rayons is not like other meads.
Rayons is made exclusively from a blend of French honeys, including chestnut honey, which gives it its distinctive colour and warm, radiant quality.
The water used contains no artificial sulphates or chlorides and is not subjected to electrolysis. No sulphites are added, as the honeys naturally possess antiseptic and antioxidant properties.
The range
Rayons offers an exceptional range, produced using a simple yet meticulous method: honey, water, and natural fermentation with just a touch of wine yeast, and absolutely no additives.
Tasting
Rayons can be enjoyed on its own, enhances both savoury and sweet dishes, or lends itself to innovative and original cocktails, enriching every flavour combination.
Blend
Rayons undergoes a slow maturation process in oak barrels or former cognac casks for at least three years in a controlled environment.
It is during this traditional ageing process that the blending takes place, resulting in an aromatic complexity comparable to that of a fine wine or whisky.
The rigorous selection of raw materials and the long, complex production processes give the Rayons range its unique and exceptional character.
The Origins
The name ‘hydromel’ derives from the Latin hydromeli, itself derived from the Greek húdôr (water) and méli (honey).
Already popular in ancient Greece, this drink spread across civilisations. Evidence of its existence can be found as far back as 7000 BC, in the heart of the Chinese province of Henan, in Scandinavia and even in Ethiopia.
Hydromel, whose name simply evokes its recipe, has thus reached us after travelling through space and time, shaping it into a universal drink.
Honey wine is undoubtedly the oldest alcoholic drink in the world. It was known as hydromel.
The creation of Rayons
A gourmet and a food lover, Alain de La Rochère – a former lawyer who switched careers to pursue the sweet delights of chocolate (Maison Chaudun) and biscuits (Compagnie Générale de Biscuiterie de Montmartre) – discovered mead by chance on his 40th birthday.
Intrigued and captivated by a drink he had never tasted before, he began by researching existing products in both Europe and the United States.
After more than a year of tasting, he decided to entrust the production of his mead to two French artisans, setting out simple yet precise specifications for its creation: exclusively French honey, always including a proportion of chestnut honey for its powerful aroma; the complete absence of any chemical additives; and ageing in new oak barrels to ensure optimal maturation.
The mead produced by each of the two artisans is then blended and left to complete its ageing process in oak barrels or cognac casks, depending on the desired complexity of the final product.
Rayons’ ambition is to find its way onto the tables of connoisseurs who are captivated by an exceptional product that reflects all the complexity and rigour of its ageing process.
