BKWine Pick: Domaine Roger Sabon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Domaine Roger Sabon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Domaine Roger Sabon in Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a true family domaine. Roger Sabon created the domaine in 1952. His three sons Jean-Jacques, Denis and Gilbert are all involved and now also Julien and Delphine, children of Denis, and Didier Négon, oenologist and married to Séverine, Jean-Jacques’ daughter, work at the domaine. The family has 17 hectares in the appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. They also have vineyards of the other side of the river Rhône, in Roquemaure. 12 hectares are in the appellation of Lirac and 6 hectares in Côtes-du-Rhône. They also make some nice and easy-to-drink vin de table from 10 hectares.

The aim of the family Sabon is to make wines with a good concentration and the work start in the vineyard with low yields. The grapes are harvested fully ripe and the alcohol levels sometimes reach 14,5 and even 15 degrees of alcohol. But the wines are full bodied and with a very good fruit and are therefore always in balance and even elegant. Like the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve 2007 with a nose of ripe and intense fruit, good complexity and balanced and soft tannins. Three weeks of skin contact at high temperature gives the wine a good concentration.

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