2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Le Secret des Sabon, Roger Sabon, Rhône

Roger Sabon is described by Robert Parker as "one of the more intellectual vignerons in Châteauneuf du-Pape". His vineyard holdings are surprisingly small, around 14 hectares, which are divided between his properties in Lirac, Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Cotes du Rhône. The Châteauneuf vineyards are well situated in Les Cabrieres, La Crau, Courtherzon and Nalys and the average age of his vines is unusually high with some of them dating back to the early 1900s. The general cepage is made up of 70% Grenache although this is reduced in his top two cuvées, the Cuvee Reservee and he Cuvée Prestige. Roger Sabon is a traditionalist and prefers to age his wines in small oak piece, none of which are new, for six months following a sojourn en cuve. He places great emphasis upon elegance rather than power in his wines and in youth his wine can be deceiving. With time, however, they grow and gain in depth and complexity and are some of the finest Châteauneufs being produced today.

The largest and most important appellation in the southern Rhône, with more than 3,200 hectares of vineyards and over 80 growers, Châteauneuf-du-Pape produces more wine than the whole of the northern Rhône combined. The gloriously rich red wines, redolent of the heat and herbs of the south, are enhanced by the complexity which comes from blending several of the 14 permitted grape varieties including Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah.