Roger Sabon, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Reserve

Needs time in the glass. Starts muted and dull, then springs to lift with quite the stony identity, cool 2001-fruit, garrigue galore. Ready to frink. Bagnols-en-Fôret

2001 vintage

I think that is younger than some reviews suggest. Open for almost 2 hours and double decanted and still very tight. There is solid weight. Not a baby and definitely showing age, however acids and tannin are still vibrant. Lots of garrigue, black fruit, black olives, mint and herbs de Provence. I am not huge on this wine, but glad to have indulged.

2011 vintage

Silky smooth and delicious. At peak without any decline, although I don't know how much longer that will be true. Great CdP flavors, mix between classic and modern styles.

2011 vintage

Belies its 19 years of age in terms of fruit profile. Still plenty of rich plum & kirsh fruit. Fine, smooth tannin and moderate acidity

2005 vintage

Note: I use the recommended scale so 85 represents a very good wine. Excellent bottle, even smoother ion Day 2 than Day 1. Benefitted meaningfully from an hour or so breathing. No need to decant, but do not pop'n'pour.

2011 vintage

Accelerated bottle

2005 vintage

Still holding up well, but I am not sure how much longer I will be able to say that. I have 2 more bottles and may open another tonight.

2011 vintage

Much better than my last bottle in 2020, and much to my surprise local and full of character now. What has happened there, or is it my palate that’s getting old and tired. Either way, this came across as the real Neuf deal with great tertiary flavors, and dusty cherry fruit. Will have to go back and check again.

2001 vintage

Pop and pour, but let it sit in glass for 30 minutes. This has really improved. Red fruit, garrigue, leather and some olives. This performed above my expectation, and shows that Rhone is still a great region from good producers.

2011 vintage

Still holding up fine, the vintage speaks. Alcohol showing, whiffs off with air, sound Grenache here, mature, no hard edges. Drinking a point, no need to wait. #Kandestederne

2005 vintage

1998-2007 Roger Sabon Chateauneuf du Pape (blind tasting) (Virtual Tasting) : Nose: 90+; Palate: 90+ My #4, Group's #1 (50 pts). Tasted blind.

2005 vintage

Consistent with previous taste, nice earthy flavors. Has more time.

2011 vintage

Followed a Pax syrah, and had enough heft to stand up. 1 hr decant seemed sufficient. No funk or fade.

2011 vintage

No. This is just so far from what Châteauneuf from 2001 could and should be. I admit I probably kept it for too long, but there’s too much of an effort going on in the cellar, this is polished, modern, uninteresting. There’s a note of licorice that bothers me too. I can’t see myself drinking an entire bottle of this, one small glass is enough.

2001 vintage

This bottle evolved tremendously over the course of 2 hours. Poured into a glass and decanted the remaining. Started off musty, old world lacking depth and concentration. Turned into a wine that filled out, vibrant fruit, very complex nose of rich cherry/raspberry, some iron and a melange of flowers/earth/minerals. Beautiful wine, ready to go after about an hour in the decanter.

2008 vintage

Lovely bottle. Several years past ideal peak but still within (at very end) top drinking window. Plum, mint, licorice, black pepper, leather, forest floor. Acid fading but still medium. Spiciness upon popping, but that faded fairly quickly along with acid. Round and balanced, maybe even a little too round at this point.

2005 vintage

I thought this was at peak in 2014, but it's as good or even better now. Plum fruit and kirsh is still fresh and at the forefront, but perhaps the garrigue notes have faded (going by memory). On the modern side of CdP vs VT, but has enough Old World style to remain true.

2005 vintage

Inky purple. Notes of blackberries, dark cherry, pepper, mint and spices; a bit of barnyard and leather. Nice structure; unctuous, fleshy, lovely tannin and acidity. Good entry level CdP.

2011 vintage

Was a great buy for a wine in a less than ideal vintage.

2011 vintage

Balanced and drinking well.

2008 vintage

Not a bad wine for an off year. Seems fully integrated now. A lot of bramble berry, garrigue, and a touch of bacon fat.

2011 vintage

still young...drank over 2 days. lots of granache driven bramble fruit, raspberry, bosenberry, melded well together...long finish. Not much complexity at this point and still integrating. early drinking window.

2011 vintage

Gave it 30mins decant. Drinks perfectly now

2005 vintage

What a treat. Probably at its peak and will remain for 4+ years. Dusty leather with forest (and no Bret) on the nose. Cassis, dark red and dark fruit berries, hint of prune, brambles and anise, all harmoniously playing on the palate. Not a wimpy wine, but seamless. Great with or without food. Glad I waited until now to open.

2005 vintage

This bottle is drinking in its prime from my opinion and also Mico tasters opinion. Dark color still in the garnet category. Viscous and Venice. This wine needed a lot of air to open and we didn't have a decanter. Towards the end of the bottle it started to open up with beautiful stewed Grenache fruit. Some depth and backbone and some firm acidity for a chateauneuf-du-pape at this age. there wasn't much wood to this wine but it did …

2001 vintage

Our first CDP in a while. What a treat! Gentle tannins, although present. Soft fruit, but still quite available. Beautiful color. Delicious mouthfeel. Aerated from the bottle to a pitcher, let sit for 30 min. then aerated back into the bottle for serving. Vacuum pumped and refrigerated for overnight, then finished the second day at room temp. No discernible deterioration on the 2nd day.

2005 vintage

Time to drink this, I think; the overall impression is brownish, alcohol showing a wee bit. Very nice local feel, certainly a decent effort, very much a châteauneuf-du-pape, lacks maybe only a bit of precision ...

2005 vintage

First bottle from a case of 12 bought at the domaine. Polished, semi modern Chateauneuf, well made, focused and upright with a good structure. Plenty of fruit left to keep this going. Just a tiny bit boring, however. Where’s the character?

2001 vintage

May have peaked already?

2005 vintage

Deep red colours still lots of colour, pale rim, Dark spices on the nose, roast meat and gravy _ nearly bisto (one for British readers) Ripe and full, meaty with chestnut notes, lots of power though tannins now very soft, bramble fruit Quite noticeable alcohol but I'd just had some Burgundy so the difference as quite noticeable An enjoyable and no hurry to drink

2005 vintage

Rustic - a bit over the top

2005 vintage

Delightful after a relatively short airing in the glass. Mid weight, drinking well.

2005 vintage

Unripe blackberry, squid ink; lively, rustic, earthy, spicy, with a fairly long finish; somewhat deteriorated

2005 vintage

Pop and pour, but saved some for the next day. Best on day 1. Lots of fruit, with some garrigue and earth to balance it. Definitely ripe and full-bodied. Enjoyable, not ponderous.

2011 vintage

Does not disappoint. Concentrated raspberry, kirsch, garrigue. Fresh mint. Tannic in the slightest but not in a way that overpowers. And, great both with food and as the night has gone on. Long life ahead.

2011 vintage

Only ok. I love cuvée prestige and secret des sabon but this falls flat.

2011 vintage

Nose of smoked meat and earth. Palate is simpler with the dark fruit and spice taking over. Definitely a meaty wine with moderate tannins. Drink now-2020.

2011 vintage

Dark ruby color. Nose of leather, smoke, earth, and perhaps a bit of barnyard. Concentrated, ripe dark fruits, cocoa, and a bit of anise and spice on the palette. Firm tannins are somewhat drying at PnP, but also chocolatey. Medium acidity. Finishes med-long. Delicious and complex now, but once the tannins fully resolve this could be especially good.

2011 vintage

Corked. Perfectly cellared since purchase

2001 vintage

This wine is in great shape, maybe not at its peak but very enjoyable. It needed about an hour to open up. Dark ruby color with some hints of amber at the rim. Enticing aromas of blackcurrant, pepper some tobacco and wt earth evolving with hints of licorice and lavender. Full bodied and smooth with some chewy layered tannins, ripe fruit and fresh acidity. The finish keeps on lingering for very, very long. There still is quite a bit of …

2005 vintage

Excellent bottle. Soooooo smooth. There were no outstanding tastes, but this wine was more like a chord in which the individual notes are lost in the total. Pure pleasure. Did not take too long to open up. No decant.

2001 vintage

Very austere. Balanced, but somewhat Metallic...too much dirt? Might evolve some more and hopefully more fruit becomes available.

2001 vintage

D20min. Garnet red, yellow rim, 5. Reserved garrigue bouquet. Harmonious well produced, juicy, tannins. Drink 2018 onwards

2001 vintage

Ruby colored. Brought to a French restaurant for lunch, therefore decanted for only 15 minutes before we started in on it. Aroma of red fruits and hints of spice. Red and black fruits on the palate with hints of floral essence, anise and a faint spiciness. As the wine aerated, it became looser with a longer silky finish. Would decant longer if it were possible but very good PnP. Table agreed it was a very nice wine!

2011 vintage

Delicate nose. Touch of raspberry and olive but very gentle. Soft palate but not fragile. In a good place now. Very nice if not great CNDP.

2001 vintage

This second bottle was even more appealing than the first. Good colour, attractive bouquet and oh so silky smooth on the palate with chewy fruit and lovely balance. One of the past CDPs I have drunk in many a year. Drinking well at present. A producer to note.

2005 vintage

Mature complex bouquet, good structure and well balanced. Drink now

2005 vintage

At peak. Silky and full of fruit. Still youthful, but tannins have softened so the wine is just a perfect CdP experience. Drink now, but should hold for another 4 years if well stored.

2005 vintage

The nose was dark and spicy with rich, concentrated black raspberry, mulling spice, hints of brown sugar, animal musk and potpourri. On the palate, velvety textures gave way to a free flowing, juicy effort, with ripe black fruit, hints of licorice and savory spice. It finished smooth with a coating of dark fruit coating the senses. This wine my not be for the ages, but it is a pleasure to drink right now.

2011 vintage

3rd of 6, decanted 30 minutes. deep red, paling at rim; kirsch, cherries, potpourri on the nose; med + weight; lush cherry liqueur, blackberries, sweetly ripe but oh so balanced, anise, bramble & underbrush behind the pure fruit; just a pleasure at this stage of life (mine and the wine's). grilled herb-rubbed pork loin chops w/Cherokee Purple tomato marmalade; lady pea hoppin' john w/cucumber relish; grilled romaine, garlic-buttermilk ranch dressing 9/01/14 decanted 30 min. not quite as ebullient & polished …

2005 vintage

Are you sure?

Roger Sabon, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Reserve

Vintages

No vintages

Community Reviews