Aged all in demi-muid, the tiny production 2009 Roger Sabon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Le Secret des Sabon is up there with the top 4-5 wines of the vintage. Showing awesome aromatics of framboise, licorice, garrigue, spice, flowers, graphite, and huge minerality and crushed stone, this is a thrilling on the palate with a deep, full-bodied feel, superb focus, and boatloads of underlying structure and tannin. As is normal with this estate, despite the overall size, this still maintains an underlying sense of balance, and dare I say, finesse. This needs time; bottles should be given 5-6 years in the cellar, and it should have 2 decades of evolution. Gorgeous stuff!

Full bodied, rich, ripe, sweet, fresh, dense and packed to the gills with lushly textured, sweet fruits, jam, spice and herbs, this perfectly blends opulence with freshness and complexity. Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-tasting-note/?vintage=2009&wine=Roger%20Sabon%20Chateauneuf-du-Pape%20Le%20Secret%20des%20Sabon

Dark, with very alluring espresso and smoke notes weaving through the dense flavors of fig paste, currant preserves, Black Forest cake and melted licorice. Features intense graphite and black tea notes on the finish, which is packed for now, but has good underlying racy acidity. Best from 2012 through 2024. 275 cases made. –JM

Tasted at the estate, the 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape le Secret de Sabon is going through a bit of a middle-aged awkwardness at the moment. It's still dark in color, with barely visible bricking, and exhibits a fair bit of lively black cherry fruit, but it has begun to develop notes of dried fig, roasted meat and dark chocolate. Full-bodied and rich, it's savory and long on the finish. Drink or hold, but not for too much longer.- JC