Red Wine Roger Sabon Chateauneuf du Pape Le Secret des Sabon 2018. Decant 2 hours before serving. First mentioned in official documents in the region in 1540, the Sabon family have a noble and historic legacy in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Seraphin Sabon was the first to bottle wines under the family name in 1921, as well as fathering three sons who each later founded their own domaine here. One of them was Roger Sabon whose estate is now run by numerous family members including his two sons, his son-in-law, and his niece. The family have 18 hectares in northeastern Chateauneuf-du-Pape where the excellent sandy and limestone soils are perfect for premium winemaking. The terroir here tends to produce a more elegant and delicate style of Chateauneuf-du-Pape which has become Roger Sabon’s signature style. Le Secret des Sabon is one of their flagship wines, a magnificent cuvee made from 100-year old vines and aged in large oak foudres. The family is notoriously reticent about exactly how their secret” wine is made, but the result is so impressive that it doesn’t really matter. On the nose there are enchanting notes of sour cherries, crushed dark berries and plums along with hints of sunbaked earth, polished leather, and undergrowth. The handsome flavour profile and firm tannins will help this wine age beautifully in the cellar, or it can be enjoyed now with hearty red meat dishes.
2018
Red Wine Roger Sabon Chateauneuf du Pape Le Secret des Sabon 2018
Red Wine Roger Sabon Chateauneuf du Pape Prestige 2018. Described by legendary wine critic Robert Parker as one of the more intellectual vignerons in Chateauneuf-du-Pape”, Roger Sabon founded his namesake domaine in 1952. The Sabon family were first mentioned in the region in documents dating back to 1540, with Roger’s father, Seraphin Sabon, the first to bottle wine under the family name. Roger Sabon is recognised as one of the appellation’s finest producers thanks to their exceptional terroir and old vines dating back to the early 1900s. Today the domaine has 18 hectares in northeastern Chateauneuf-du-Pape planted on fine limestone and sandy soils. Their Prestige cuvee is a typical local blend featuring plenty of Grenache along with Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and tiny amounts of other indigenous varieties. The wines are aged in the traditional way, in old 40 hectolitre foudres and 600 litre demi-muids. This insistence on minimal oak influence helps to showcase the natural character of the terroir and the Grenache. There’s a solid core of dark fruit, predominantly ripe plum, blackberry, and cassis, along with subtle hints of baking spice, leather, and smoked meat which linger on the tongue. The punchy profile makes this a great wine to pair with earthy game dishes like venison or pheasant, or a wild boar ragu served with fresh pasta.
2018
Red Wine Rombauer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2018. Decant 1 hour before serving. Koerner and Joan Rombauer moved to Napa from Escondido in Southern California in 1972 and soon after purchased a home on the property where the winery now sits. Joan worked for the famous Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars while Koerner was an airline pilot for many years.
2018