Roger Sabon, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Reserve 2009

Even deeper-colored with more purple hues, the 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve is composed of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Cinsault from nearly 70-year-old vines. This brilliant effort is one of the finest Reserves the Sabons have yet made. Dense and complex, it offers up notes of incense, charcoal, roasted herbs, meat juices, bouquet garni and lots of black currant and black cherry fruit. This full-bodied, voluptuously textured, multidimensional, superb Chateauneuf du Pape is accessible now and should age well for 10-15 years. 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

• Drinking Window: 2011 - 2026
• Reviewer Name: Robert Parker
• Review Date: October 2011