Winemaker Notes
Each of the red Châteauneuf-du-Papes from Domaine Roger Sabon comes from a different collection of terroirs. In Les Olivets, it is primarily from sandy limestone and rocky limestone soils in the northwestern part of the appellation – the lieux dits of Pradel and Les Devès d’Estouard. Always one of the best bargains in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Les Olivets is open-knit and vibrant, being a Grenache-based blend with 10% each Cinsault & Syrah.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Shows steeped raspberry and cherry notes wrapped around a graphite spine. An attractive, perfumy wine, with floral high tones. Grounded on the palate, with fine tannins and earthy spices. Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault. Best from 2025 through 2035.
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Vinous
The 2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Olivets is made from fully de-stemmed fruit. Akin to the Réserve from the same vintage, it has a slightly reductive character requiring some aeration before opening up. Showcasing glossy red fruit aromas and a pinch of menthol, it is remarkably elegant, medium to full-bodied and polished.
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.