Even better is the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc, a blend of 40% Grenache Blanc, 30% Clairette and 30% Roussanne. Sabon has the courage to put this wine through malolactic so he does not have to filter it, and the result is a zesty wine displaying lots of pear, pineapple, white peach and rosewater notes, great fruit, a medium to full-bodied texture, fresh acids and a luscious finish. This impeccably run estate, in the capable hands of Christophe Sabon, his sister Isabelle, and their father, is one of the superstars of the southern Rhone Valley. Over the last 12-15 years, the quality of the wines has gone from strength to strength, with brilliant wines being produced in all price categories. They make sumptuous, complex, world-class red, white and rose Cotes du Rhones, and year-in and year-out, their Chateauneuf du Papes are among the top three or four wines of the vintage. Tasting two great vintages (2009 and 2010) from the Sabons was one of the most thrilling tastings I have had this year. My tasting began with some unbelievable Cotes du Rhones.Importer: Eric Solomon, European Selections, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565

The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc, which I reviewed in issue 191, has barely moved in evolution. It exhibits lots of white peach and honeysuckle notes, a grapy richness, full body and decent acidity for the vintage. This impeccably run estate, in the capable hands of Christophe Sabon, his sister Isabelle, and their father, is one of the superstars of the southern Rhone Valley. Over the last 12-15 years, the quality of the wines has gone from strength to strength, with brilliant wines being produced in all price categories. They make sumptuous, complex, world-class red, white and rose Cotes du Rhones, and year-in and year-out, their Chateauneuf du Papes are among the top three or four wines of the vintage. Tasting two great vintages (2009 and 2010) from the Sabons was one of the most thrilling tastings I have had this year. My tasting began with some unbelievable Cotes du Rhones.Importer: Eric Solomon, European Selections, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565

There is no 2008 Chateauneuf du Pape blanc Cuvee Prestige, so all of the Roussanne was declassified into the 2008 Chateauneuf du Pape blanc. This wine won the top prize for white Chateauneufs at the festival held by the village’s vignerons called St.-Marc. Gorgeous aromas of white peaches, flowers, and candied lemons are followed by a crisp, full-bodied white with great acidity, an enticing, medium-bodied texture, and a long finish. One of the top white 2008 Chateauneuf du Papes I tasted, it should drink well for 2-4 years. Always one of my favorite stops on my Rhone Valley trips, Domaine de la Janasse is run with incredible passion by Christophe Sabon, his sister Isabelle, and his father, who showed up nearly half naked as he was bringing in some white grapes on the torridly hot day I visited. What this family operation has achieved over the last decade is nothing short of remarkable considering the breadth of wines made, from their Vin de Pays, which are among the finest made in France, to their world-class Cotes du Rhones and Chateauneuf du Papes. While this estate is at the top of its game, it is not content to rest on the status quo and continues to push the envelope. Their 2008s are among the finest wines of the vintage, and as the following tasting notes and scores indicate, their 2007s are out of this world. The 2008 reds are surprisingly strong across the board at Domaine de la Janasse. There is no Cotes du Rhone Les Garrigues or Chateauneuf du Pape Chaupin in this vintage, but the other cuvees are all noteworthy. 2007 is the greatest vintage I have ever tasted of Domaine de la Janasse – and that’s says something given the amazing wines produced here in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2006.Importer: Eric Solomon, European Selections, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565