2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Secret de Sabon
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Tasting notes
The 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape le Secret de Sabon—a 100-point wine earlier in its life (albeit from different reviewers)—seems just a little past its apogee. It's still plenty dark in hue, but shows a touch of bricking at the rim. On the nose, it offers up notes of tar, black cherries, blackberries and cocoa. Full-bodied, rich and velvety on the palate, with a long, elegant finish, it's enormously enjoyable, and it's possible that with a bit more time in the decanter, or from another bottle, this wine could still reach 100 points. That said, it's worth remembering that wines are not immortal, and they are made to be consumed, not hoarded indefinitely.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Bright, deep ruby-red. Brooding, pure, liqueur-like aromas of black cherry, cola and bitter chocolate. Rich, thick and velvety in the mouth; amazingly silky, seamless Chateauneuf. Liqueur-like red and black fruit flavors show a compelling perfumed quality. Builds slowly and lingers long on the aftertaste, hinting at cherry skin and mace. Showed a bit more oaky torrefaction with extended aeration. Perhaps the best bottle I've yet tasted from this producer.
This was more than made up for by the 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape le Secret du Sabon, which was insanely good. Still inky in color (as are most of the top 2001s), it has incredible aromas of cassis, licorice, red wine marinade, roasted meats and bouquet garni that flow to a full-bodied, massive, yet seamless and layered wine that never puts a foot wrong. I don't know if I prefer it over the '07 or '10, but its monumental stuff, without a doubt. Aug 2014, www.robertparker.com