Roger Sabon Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Olivets 2016
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Made from the youngest vines on the property with an average age of 50 years, Les Olivets is the largest production Châteauneuf-du-Pape at Domaine Roger Sabon. This Grenache-dominant cuvée also includes about 10% each Syrah and Cinsault and it is aged entirely in foudres and concrete tanks.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Made from 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Cinsault, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Olivets is a winner in this great vintage. Blackcurrants, black olives, licorice, and peppery notes all flow to a ripe, sexy, opulent Châteauneuf-du-Pape that has terrific purity, ripe tannin, and a great finish. It's a no-brainer purchase.
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Wine Enthusiast
While the nose of this wine is subdued, whiffs of dark chocolate, coffee and violet extend into the palate, mingling into crisp blackberry and cherry flavors. The palate is robust and mouthfilling yet briskly balanced and anchored by fine, persistent tannins. It’s an elegant but immediately approachable wine to drink now through 2028. Eric Solomon Selections
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Tasted blind, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape les Olivets shows gorgeous aromas of purple raspberries and garrigue. Full-bodied and even a bit chewy, it picks up hints of mocha and licorice on the long finish. It's a blend of 80% Grenache and 10% each Cinsault and Syrah, matured in foudres and oak vats.
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Wine Spectator
Juicy and ripe, with a delicious core of red and black currant and raspberry fruit that has delightful energy, studded liberally with anise, roasted apple wood and graphite notes. The long finish shows a tug of earth and a light floral gilding. Best from 2019 through 2030. 392 cases imported.
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Domaine Roger Sabon was founded in 1952 and is currently run by Roger’s sons Denis and Gilbert. A third son, Jean-Jacques is deceased but his son-in-law Didier Negron is the current winemaker. Denis and his son Julien oversee the farming while Gilbert and his niece, Delphine run the office. It is quite the family affair!
The size of the domaine has grown slowly over the years with 18 hectares in Chateauneuf du Pape, 8 hectares in Lirac and 8 hectares in Côtes-du-Rhône. Most of their holdings in Chateauneuf-du-Pape are located in the northeastern part of the appellation, where the soils are sandier with a high concentration of limestone. They also own a few parcels in Le Crau famous for its red clay under a deep layer of galets deposited from the alps eons ago. These two soil types combine to make wines that are equally rich and nuanced.
Since 2001 Didier Negron has made the wines at Domaine Roger Sabon, but recently he’s begun to move away from demi-muids and barriques in favor of aging his family’s wines in concrete and large French oak foudres. While the terroir of Roger Sabon, with its high concentration of sand and limestone, has always been inclined to a more ethereal and delicate style of Chateauneuf, Didier’s changes in the cellar have amplified these qualities – the wines have never been more engaging and lovely.
While Grenache is the mainstay at the Domaine, they also grow Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Terret Noire, Counoise, Vaccarèse Muscardin, Roussanne, Clairette, Bourboulenc and Grenache Blanc. They own some fairly old Syrah, about 60 years old, located on limestone soils which is an important component in the Prestige bottling. Their oldest vines, topping 100 years old, are located in two plots near Courthézon, and are the source for the Secret des Sabon. While details are sketchy and the Sabons are shy about divulging any information about this cuvée, it is safe to assume that these vines are primarily Grenache. In the cellar there is a single demi-muid in the shadows which is presumably the Secret des Sabon, but once again polite inquires are met with a Gallic shrug."
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Famous for its full-bodied, seductive and spicy reds with flavor and aroma characteristics reminiscent of black cherry, baked raspberry, garrigue, olive tapenade, lavender and baking spice, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the leading sub-appellation of the southern Rhône River Valley. Large pebbles resembling river rocks, called "galets" in French, dominate most of the terrain. The stones hold heat and reflect it back up to the low-lying gobelet-trained vines. Though the galets are typical, they are not prominent in every vineyard. Chateau Rayas is the most obvious deviation with very sandy soil.
According to law, eighteen grape varieties are allowed in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and most wines are blends of some mix of these. For reds, Grenache is the star player with Mourvedre and Syrah coming typically second. Others used include Cinsault, Counoise and occasionally Muscardin, Vaccarèse, Picquepoul Noir and Terret Noir.
Only about 6-7% of wine from Châteauneuf-du-Pape is white wine. Blends and single-varietal bottlings are typically based on the soft and floral Grenache Blanc but Clairette, Bourboulenc and Roussanne are grown with some significance.
The wine of Chateauneuf-du-Pape takes its name from the relocation of the papal court to Avignon. The lore says that after moving in 1309, Pope Clément V (after whom Chateau Pape-Clément in Pessac-Léognan is named) ordered that vines were planted. But it was actually his successor, John XXII, who established the vineyards. The name however, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, translated as "the pope's new castle," didn’t really stick until the 19th century.