Châteauneuf du Pape Secret de Sabon 2007 150cl

The 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Le Secret du Sabon is jaw-dropping good, and tops out on my scale. Crazily perfumed and complex, with layers of kirsch, crushed flowers, incense, beef blood and garrigue, it hits the palate with massive depth and richness, thrilling purity of fruit and a seamless texture that needs to be tasted to be believed. I'd happily drink bottles today, but given its mid-palate depth and no shortage of tannin that emerges on the finish, it will have no issues evolving through 2027. <br/><br/>A brilliantly run estate, Domaine Roger Sabon covers close to 44 acres that are spread throughout the appellation, and the wines have been made by Didier Negron since 2001. This retrospective focused on their top cuvee, the Secret du Sabon, which is a field blend of roughly (the exact blend is a "secret") 90% Grenache with the balance other permitted varieties (from 100-year-old vines), that-s aged all in 600-liter barrels. While the first released vintage was 1998, they also bottled a small amount in 1990, 1995 (the only one I've tasted? superb) and 1996.<br/><br/>

Mittleres Rubin mit aufhellendem Rand. Süsses, umwerfendes Bouquet, Sandelholz, Kandisnoten, Cassis, schier buttrig ausladend und sofort zur Kommunikation ansetzend. Im Gaumen wie ein Winner daherkommend, sofort verständlich, alles im spontanen Bereich und mit milchigem Fluss, was ihm bei viel Fülle auch sehr viel Charme verleiht, gebündeltes Finale, welches von schwarzen Kirschen, Brombeeren und … wieder Cassis bestückt ist. Schwer zu beurteilen, was an diesem Wein gross und was populär ist. Vielleicht ist es ja grad der Mix der beiden Elemente! Er ist in voller, prächtiger Reife! Viel Weltklasse – bei vielleicht etwas weniger Châteauneuf. Mit rund 360 Franken Marktpreis nicht gerade ein Schnäppchen

Silky, with a beautiful beam of kirsch running through pepper, incense, black tea and melted licorice notes. The long, supple finish has good latent grip, while maintaining its perfumy elegance.