2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Secret de Sabon

On another level, the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Le Secret Des Sabon is stacked and packed and ranks with the top 2-3 wines in this great vintage. A huge nose of blackcurrants, melted licorice, graphite, garrigue and pepper gives way to an uber-full-bodied, concentrated, massively endowed wine that has an insane level of opulence and decadent, sweet tannins, and a huge finish. This is a tour de force in wine that readers need to taste to believe. Given its wealth of fruit and texture, it’s already approachable, yet a solid 4-5 years of bottle age are warranted, and it's going to keep for 25 years or more. Bravo! As always, this cuvée is a field blend that’s 95% Grenache, with the balance a mix of varieties, mostly from sandy soils, brought up in oak tronconique tanks. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to taste any 2018s from this estate but, unquestionably, their 2017s are some of the wines of the vintage.

Almost all Grenache from two old-vine parcels, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape le Secret de Sabon has morphed during its élevage in oak tank to reveal a darker side. While last year it was all red fruit and roses, this year it shows more plum, licorice, cola and cocoa. It remains wonderfully full-bodied yet light in feel, framed by firm tannins but also creamy and rich on the mid-palate, offering an array of conflicting sensations that emerge harmonious on the long finish. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.