2011 CNDP Cuvee Prestige Mixed Cases (1x 2004-2006 CDP-CP)

Glass-staining ruby. A wild, highly perfumed bouquet of dark berries, smoked meat and spicecake. Lush and expansive, offering sweet blackberry and cherry compote flavors lifted by juicy acidity. Closes smoky, spicy and long, with very good energy and fine-grained tannins.

70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre, 5% Counoise and Vaccarèse. Dark crimson. Opulent nose and then quite tight. Fades a little fast. But there is some energy here. Lots of sweetness. Then some sinewy tannins. (JR)

Similarly styled to the Cuvée Réservée, yet with a touch more polish to the tannin, the 2011 Roger Sabon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Prestige is a brilliant success in the vintage and offers up superb aromatics of kirsch, raspberry, licorice, toasted spice, and roasted meat that give way to a medium to full-bodied, balanced, pure wine that has very fine tannin structure, and solid mid-palate depth. It too should benefit from short to mid-term cellaring and shine for 10-12 years or more.