Region | |
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Subregion | France > Rhône > Southern Rhône > Châteauneuf-du-Pape |
Colour | Red |
Type | Still |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Domaine Joseph Sabon
Good full medium red. Pure, vibrant, captivating nose combines raspberry, garrigue, lavender and pepper. Then lush, broad and silky in the mouth, with a distinctly savory quality leavening the wine's inherent sweetness. In fact, this is more noteworthy for its energy and structure than for weight or thickness. Finishes with suave, fine-grained tannins, outstanding subtle lingering perfume and a light touch. Classic, gripping Chateauneuf du Pape with a long future ahead of it. I underrated this wine at the outset, and I believe Pierre Sabon did as well when he described it in the early going as "rounder and fatter than the 1999."
The 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape is a big effort, displaying spice, pepper, and tannin. Its dense ruby/plum/purple color is followed by a full-bodied wine with the tell-tale kirsch flavors, and nicely-layered fat and texture. Although not the blockbuster I thought it might turn out to be, it is an impressive Chateauneuf du Pape with lots of firmness and spice. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2015.