Winemaker Notes
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
The entry-level cuvée from this reference point estate is the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Olivets and it's 80% Grenache and 10% each of Cinsault and Syrah. Deeply colored, it has a ripe, plush, downright flamboyant style in its blackberry, spring flowers, spice, chocolate, and garrigue aromas and flavors. A straight-up fruit bomb, it has full-bodied richness, beautiful purity, and tons of charm. I'm impressed –
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 80% Grenache with 10% each Cinsault and Syrah, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape les Olivets is a terrific success. Peppery notes accent hints of roses and raspberries on the nose of this full-bodied, creamy-textured beauty. It slides easily across the palate, finishing long and plush yet with great depth at the same time. It should drink well for up to 15 years. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.
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Wine Spectator
Juicy and forward, with a core of dark plum, blackberry and anise notes, backed by black tea and singed mesquite accents on the rich finish. A good bolt of graphite keeps this grounded. Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault. Drink now through 2032.
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.