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. 2023 – 2048
99 Points
Jeb Dunnuck