Wine Advisor
Roger Sabon, Chateauneuf Du Pape Cuvee Prestige 1998
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Prestige is profound. It boasts a dense saturated ruby/purple color. With airing, the bouquet's earthy concoction becomes increasingly dominated by scents of kirsch liqueur and blackberries. This fragrant, immensely concentrated wine has sweet tannin, tastes of smoked duck, and is extremely complex, rich in glycerin, and long. The finish lasts nearly 45 seconds. There is still tannin to shed, so purchasers should defer their gratification for 2-3 years, and drink it over the following two decades. Importer: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, New York, NY; tel. (212) 924-4949
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1998 Cuvee Prestige is a fabulous Chateauneuf du Pape offering a classic bouquet of pepper, dried herbes de Provence, balsam wood, black cherries, and blackberries displayed in a full-bodied, young, unevolved but fabulously concentrated style. Possessing moderately high tannin, huge fruit and glycerin, and great balance as well as purity, it requires another 1-3 years of cellaring, and should age effortlessly for 25 years.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Sabon’s 1998 Cuvee Prestige has reached full maturity. Dark plum/garnet, with notes of smoked duck, garrigue, licorice, cedar, and blue and black fruits, the wine is savory and complex. Full-bodied, with a silky texture, loads of glycerin, opulence, and flesh, this wine is at that magical peak of maturity, where it should hold for another 5-6 years. It is drinking splendidly well, for those who own it.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Readers lucky enough to find any of the 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Prestige are in for a fabulous drinking experience. Made from the estate's oldest vines, it tends to be a blend of 55-60% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre, with the balance a field blend of the appellation's varietals. The 1998's dark purple color is followed by soaring aromas of blackberries/cherries, licorice, dried herbs, and spice box. This deep, viscous, opulently-textured, full-bodied wine represents the essence of old vine Chateauneuf du Pape. Multidimensional, thick, and succulent, it has a finish that lasts close to a minute. This is a prodigious effort that will benefit from 2-3 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2020. Importer: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, New York, NY; tel. (212) 924-4949
About the Producer
Our family estate was founded in 1952 by Roger SABON. After several generations, the estate has reached a total surface of 50 hectares split up on both sides of the Rhône. 18 hectares belong to the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, on the left bank of the River, and spread over 14 different plots. On the right bank, the vineyard includes 12 hectares in the Lirac appellation, 6 hectares of Côtes-du-Rhône and 14 hectares of Vin de France. This diversity allows us to develop and offer our customers a wide choice of wines with varied profiles White wines represent around 5% of the total production. Grapes are hand harvested, placed into boxes and undergo a light pneumatic pressing. The juices obtained are then protected from the oxidation phenomena in order to preserve the aromatic potential. Our “Vins de France” will then ferment in stainless steel vats, whereas our Châteauneuf-du-Pape blanc will ferment in 25 hl wooden tanks. The fermentation temperature is regulated around 16 ° C. Vinification of red wine is characterized, for our entire wine range, by a long period of maceration of the grapes in vats, associated with a relatively gentle extraction. Destemming – the removal of the vegetal part of the bunch- is required here in order to prevent any problem during maceration.
