Wine Advisor
Roger Sabon, Chateauneuf Du Pape Reserve 2010
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reserve reveals a boatload of roasted Provencal herbs intermixed with lavender, licorice, cassis, kirsch, cedar, underbrush and pepper. In addition to great fruit, it possesses fabulous concentration, a full-bodied mouthfeel and a sensational, 40-second finish. It should drink well for 12-15+ years. This has long been one of my favorite estates in the southern Rhone. Like many of the old families of Chateauneuf du Pape, the Sabons have been estate bottling since 1921. They own nearly 44 acres of vines divided among 15 different parcels, with some of their most significant holdings in the famed La Crau sector of the appellation. The style here is a brilliant combination of the best traditional techniques married to a handful of modern nuances. I witnessed and was profoundly touched by the following story and decided to share it with readers. One of the Sabon brothers, Jean-Jacques, died last year after a heroic fight with cancer. I knew Jean-Jacques well as he was one of the first vignerons to embrace me, and help educate me about the different terroirs, styles of wine, and the history of Chateauneuf du Pape. I remember taking a dear friend to visit the Domaine Roger Sabon in 2002. My friend wanted to visit Roger Sabon because he had just lost his beautiful wife after a long battle with brain cancer. As we were tasting in the cellars, my friend wanted to taste Le Secret des Sabon, a wine his wife thought might be some sort of miracle cure for her terminal disease. Not surprisingly, when Jean-Jacques took his pipette and poured a sample for my friend, he broke down. As Jean-Jacques and I walked to a distant corner of the cave to give him some privacy, Jean-Jacques said that never in his life had he seen a person moved so much by a wine he and his family had made. He said it gave him goose pimples, and he himself nearly lost it emotionally, as did I. It was a rare and revealing look at an extraordinary man. Jean-Jacques Sabon will be forever missed as he did so much for this appellation. As I wrote last year, the 2009s were super at Domaine Roger Sabon. Even better, the 2010s may be the greatest vintage ever produced, including the 2007 and 2005. The 2011 vintage appears to be very strong as well. There are four Chateauneuf du Pape cuvees, including the limited production (150 cases), luxurious, over-the-top Le Secret des Sabon, which comes from nearly 110-year-old vines, and is a field blend of largely Grenache and many other authorized grapes. Importer: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, Charlotte, NC: tel. (704) 358-1565
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve exhibits an inky purple color followed by notes of melted licorice, creosote, Provencal herbs, black currants and black cherries. It is an impressive, concentrated, vibrant rich wine that is more vibrant and focused than its 2009 counterpart. (Not yet released) This estate has been at the top of its game for many years and any partisan of Rhone Valley wines (especially the southern Rhone) who has not yet tried a wine from Domaine Roger Sabon should make every effort to do so. They produce four separate Chateauneuf du Pape cuvees and have hit home runs in both 2009 and 2010, the finest back-to-back vintages I have ever tasted from this 42-acre estate run by the large Sabon family, in this case, Jean-Jacques, Julien, Gilbert and Denis. They own 15 parcels spread throughout the appellation, most of them concentrated in the western and eastern sectors north of the village. The brilliant 2009s are among the finest of the vintage. Importer: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, Charlotte, NC: tel. (704) 358-1565
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
Dark purple. Expressive aromas of dark fruits, spicecake, garrigue and licorice. Ripe and harmonious, with a smoky quality and a medicinal touch to its plum and bitter cherry flavors. On the wild side but shows very good sweetness. Finishes with building tannins and firm grip, leaving a spicy note behind.
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.
