Domaine Roger Sabon Chateauneuf du Pape Le Secret des Sabon 2012 1.5Ltr

The top wine of the estate is the 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape le Secret de Sabon, and the inky-colored 2012 is a brilliant effort. I don’t think it hits the heights of the 2010, 2007 or 2001, but it’s still a singular expression of Grenache that could come from nowhere else, and is distinctly different from the three prior Châteauneufs. Possessing a sweet nose of ripe raspberries, kirsch, garrigue and licorice, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, tons of glycerol and texture, sweet tannin and moderate acidity. It’s already approachable, yet I suspect will improve with another handful of years in the cellar and drink well through 2027 at a minimum.

• Country: France
• Region: Rhone Valley
• Appellation: Chateauneuf Du Pape
• Size: 1.5Ltr
• Color: Red

Varietal

Red Rhone Blend

The Rhone region of France has been producing superb quality white blended wines for centuries, and is a region highly respected and esteemed around the world, with plenty of New World countries keen to emulate the styles and techniques displayed by the historic wineries and skilled vintners of the area. The secret to the Rhone’s success when it comes to blended white wines is the careful and expert selection of certain grape varietals, which each lend special features to the blended wine and bring balance and harmony to the bottle. Most commonly, blended white Rhone wines feature no more than two grapes of either the Viognier, Rousanne, Marsanne or Grenache Blanc varietals, and are renowned for their exceptional flavors and highly aromatic, floral character.