Have long wanted to place this wine, the best CdRV I have ever tasted, in a blind flight of highly regarded, same vintage Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas, and, to that end, happily opened my last bottle alongside a Perrin Domaine du Clos des Tourelles and a Janasse Chaupin.
Light bricking. The wine delivered the same finesse, power, and rusticity as all previous tastings. This perennial overachiever held its own, and showed more like the Chaupin overall, with charred earth, crushed rocks, brick dust, and meatiness. Balanced, pure, and with plenty of life left.
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Very good Cdr. close out value. Good brambly fruit, rich earthy floral nose. Very powerful front palette w peppery fruit and a long oak tannin leather tobacco finish.
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Continue to drink well. A bit smoky, leathery, and took much garrigue when just opened. However, with some time (overnight in fridge), these these backed off bringing some fruit forward and putting the garrigue flavors into the finish. Much more enjoyable.
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Drank over three days, alongside a 2012 Roger Sabon CdP Reserve that could not hold a candle to this wine. This continues to be the fullest, most rounded, highest quality CdR I have ever tasted. It features a highly appealing bouquet, excellent concentration, pure sweetness of fruit, outstanding structure, and exudes Rhone terroir...at a much higher price point than its actual cost I might add. An exceptional wine that delivers incredible QPR. It shows up many CdPs at three to five times the price.
Still a stunning wine. Pepper, crushed rock, coal, charcoal, charcuterie, garrigue, lavender, roasted coffee beans, and dark chocolate on an incredibly appealing bouquet. Huge palate that tastes like it smells, with tremendous acid, grip, structure. Finishes long and appetizing. A versatile and profound offering. Subtle, elegant, and refined.
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The tar and glycerin from my previous tastings are gone and this is now displaying nice balance and roundness. Might even be a 90, I'm just not feeling generous. Went great with a pork tenderloin.
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Consistent with my prior notes and as expected, still drinking beautifully. It's so unusual for a Cotes du Rhone Villages to have this much structure and complexity. Full-bodied, rich and still loaded with delicious, ripe plum and boysenberry fruit. Wonderfully well-balanced and very long. Finishes with ultra-fine tannins and notes of ripe fruit and spice. Polished, complex and delicious. Still the best Cotes du Rhone I have ever tasted - including the Crus. 50+5+12+17+8=92
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Never a disappointment with Cuvee Sabrine. I've drunk nine vintages in the last eleven years and it has proven to be one of the best values around for complex, age-worthy, dead-on-rustic-styled "Chateauneuf du Rhone". An 04 I drank a year ago was showing brilliantly. Pipe smoke and sage overlay a complexity of dark red fruit on the nose. A little angularity to the tannins, but plenty of incense-tinged, medium-weight lusciousness makes for fine early drinking. Fates willing, I shall drink one a year for the next five years, and watch this lovely 2010 fully bloom.
Classic AB cdr. More rustic in style with raspberries, hot stones, fruit leather, black tea and coffee grounds. It's still tight at this point with some good tannins but softens up with a decant.
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Wow! This is every bit as good as I remembered it. Consistent with previous notes.
This was best on the third day. Decant for several hours if drinking now. The concentration, structure, quality, charm, and appeal are too great to score this less than 94 points. I'm looking forward to drinking this beside 2010 Rhone heavyweights in a few years.
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Consistent with my prior note. Very impressive. This wine gets everything right - and in such a classy, understated way. There's wonderful focus and depth to its mouth-watering plum and blackberry fruit. Nicely structured - which is highly unusual in a Villages-level CDR. The finish is long and polished, featuring velvety tannins and a lingering aftertaste of ripe, sweet fruit and spice. Trés delicieux! 50+5+12+17+8=92
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Medium body and acidity with blackberry and black cherry fruit. Has notes of tar and pepper, with some glycerin on the finish. Nicely balanced and round that makes for an excellent QPR and a very food friendly wine that pairs well with many foods.
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Bought a few of these based on Motz's enthusiastic recommendation. Dark and opaque in color, lightening up around the edge. Has a pretty, earthy nose of plums, flowers and dried herbs. Medium-to-full bodied and bursting with juicy plum and blackberry fruit. There's tremendous intensity to the mid-palate and fine, velvety tannins on the long, spice- and oak-tinged finish. Ends with lingering notes of pepper, licorice and ripe, sweet fruit. Harmonious, complex and absolutely delicious. Maybe the best Cotes du Rhone I've ever tasted. Could pass for an outstanding Chateauneuf-du-Pape if it had a little more weight to it. Amazing value at just $14.99. 50+5+12+17+8=92
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A stunning wine, and one of the top three values I have ever tasted! Nose of olive groves, green olives, and high quality olive oil, freshly crushed Greek and Italian herbs, Marjoram and Basil in particular, Thyme, Anise, minerality, crushed stones, barnyard, dark fruits and smoke.
The palate is wonderfully structured, with great grip. Balance and mouthfeel are excellent! The wine gives the impression of viscosity, which reminded me of the 2005 Pavie. The Mediterranean olive and herb elements also play tricks with the mind by creating the impression of an oily component, though none is present. The wine finishes with even greater grip than the attack and captivating flavors that linger beyond a minute.
Drank it over two days alongside a 2010 Domaine Brusset Gigondas Tradition Le Grand Montmirail; it was no contest. The Gigondas came across like a CdR compared to this mind-bending wine! A little air enhances the experience! Enjoy! 93-95!
Delicious reduced notes of licorice, fresh basil, fig cake, hints of pepper between each sip and sniff and went great with chicken parmesan with kalamata olives, fresh basil and fresh mozzarella.
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My go to CDR. The usual suspects of orange zest, sagebrush, tea, a bit of coffee grounds. The balance and weight on this is so consistant. Great with Lamb ragu
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A dry, earthy, traditional CdR. It shows strong tannins, and a great mineral finish. Lots of life ahead of this, possibly 5+ years. Best CdR I recall tasting...ever.
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Always love this wine. Coffee grounds, black tea, orance zest, sagebrush, herbs de provance and darker fruit. Great with food and great alone. Easily my go to CDR.
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6/13/2017 - Motz wrote: 93 Points
Have long wanted to place this wine, the best CdRV I have ever tasted, in a blind flight of highly regarded, same vintage Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas, and, to that end, happily opened my last bottle alongside a Perrin Domaine du Clos des Tourelles and a Janasse Chaupin.
Light bricking. The wine delivered the same finesse, power, and rusticity as all previous tastings. This perennial overachiever held its own, and showed more like the Chaupin overall, with charred earth, crushed rocks, brick dust, and meatiness. Balanced, pure, and with plenty of life left.
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10/25/2016 - Gianni13 wrote: 88 Points
Getting a little tobacco-y, losing fruit.
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3/15/2016 - Gianni13 wrote: 90 Points
Very good Cdr. close out value. Good brambly fruit, rich earthy floral nose. Very powerful front palette w peppery fruit and a long oak tannin leather tobacco finish.
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2/20/2016 - TXRhoneRanger wrote: 90 Points
Really pretty CdR Village. Like it a lot. Fruit purity, some depth thanks the the Syrah and Mourvedre. Delicious. Awesome QPR.
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1/19/2016 - Gianni13 wrote: 89 Points
Continue to drink well. A bit smoky, leathery, and took much garrigue when just opened. However, with some time (overnight in fridge), these these backed off bringing some fruit forward and putting the garrigue flavors into the finish. Much more enjoyable.
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11/28/2015 - Gianni13 wrote: 88 Points
Nice Cdr. Still not the full bodied fruit that the best have. Not overwhelmed by garrigue.
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9/28/2015 - Motz wrote: 93 Points
Drank over three days, alongside a 2012 Roger Sabon CdP Reserve that could not hold a candle to this wine. This continues to be the fullest, most rounded, highest quality CdR I have ever tasted. It features a highly appealing bouquet, excellent concentration, pure sweetness of fruit, outstanding structure, and exudes Rhone terroir...at a much higher price point than its actual cost I might add. An exceptional wine that delivers incredible QPR. It shows up many CdPs at three to five times the price.
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11/4/2014 - Motz wrote: 93 Points
Still a stunning wine. Pepper, crushed rock, coal, charcoal, charcuterie, garrigue, lavender, roasted coffee beans, and dark chocolate on an incredibly appealing bouquet. Huge palate that tastes like it smells, with tremendous acid, grip, structure. Finishes long and appetizing. A versatile and profound offering. Subtle, elegant, and refined.
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7/12/2014 - vinole wrote: 89 Points
The tar and glycerin from my previous tastings are gone and this is now displaying nice balance and roundness. Might even be a 90, I'm just not feeling generous. Went great with a pork tenderloin.
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7/11/2014 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent with my prior notes and as expected, still drinking beautifully. It's so unusual for a Cotes du Rhone Villages to have this much structure and complexity. Full-bodied, rich and still loaded with delicious, ripe plum and boysenberry fruit. Wonderfully well-balanced and very long. Finishes with ultra-fine tannins and notes of ripe fruit and spice. Polished, complex and delicious. Still the best Cotes du Rhone I have ever tasted - including the Crus.
50+5+12+17+8=92
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12/29/2013 - P A Montese wrote: 90 Points
Never a disappointment with Cuvee Sabrine. I've drunk nine vintages in the last eleven years and it has proven to be one of the best values around for complex, age-worthy, dead-on-rustic-styled "Chateauneuf du Rhone". An 04 I drank a year ago was showing brilliantly. Pipe smoke and sage overlay a complexity of dark red fruit on the nose. A little angularity to the tannins, but plenty of incense-tinged, medium-weight lusciousness makes for fine early drinking. Fates willing, I shall drink one a year for the next five years, and watch this lovely 2010 fully bloom.
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11/19/2013 - bajayngo wrote:
Classic AB cdr. More rustic in style with raspberries, hot stones, fruit leather, black tea and coffee grounds. It's still tight at this point with some good tannins but softens up with a decant.
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10/30/2013 - vinole wrote: 89 Points
Consistent with my previous note of 5/3.
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9/2/2013 - Motz wrote: 94 Points
Wow! This is every bit as good as I remembered it. Consistent with previous notes.
This was best on the third day. Decant for several hours if drinking now. The concentration, structure, quality, charm, and appeal are too great to score this less than 94 points. I'm looking forward to drinking this beside 2010 Rhone heavyweights in a few years.
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8/25/2013 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent with my prior note. Very impressive. This wine gets everything right - and in such a classy, understated way. There's wonderful focus and depth to its mouth-watering plum and blackberry fruit. Nicely structured - which is highly unusual in a Villages-level CDR. The finish is long and polished, featuring velvety tannins and a lingering aftertaste of ripe, sweet fruit and spice. Trés delicieux!
50+5+12+17+8=92
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8/9/2013 - phillyboyP wrote: 90 Points
Excellent CdR. Consistent every year. 90
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5/3/2013 - vinole wrote: 89 Points
Medium body and acidity with blackberry and black cherry fruit. Has notes of tar and pepper, with some glycerin on the finish. Nicely balanced and round that makes for an excellent QPR and a very food friendly wine that pairs well with many foods.
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4/25/2013 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bought a few of these based on Motz's enthusiastic recommendation. Dark and opaque in color, lightening up around the edge. Has a pretty, earthy nose of plums, flowers and dried herbs. Medium-to-full bodied and bursting with juicy plum and blackberry fruit. There's tremendous intensity to the mid-palate and fine, velvety tannins on the long, spice- and oak-tinged finish. Ends with lingering notes of pepper, licorice and ripe, sweet fruit. Harmonious, complex and absolutely delicious. Maybe the best Cotes du Rhone I've ever tasted. Could pass for an outstanding Chateauneuf-du-Pape if it had a little more weight to it. Amazing value at just $14.99.
50+5+12+17+8=92
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4/7/2013 - rjm_va wrote: 90 Points
Delicious
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3/31/2013 - Motz wrote: 94 Points
A stunning wine, and one of the top three values I have ever tasted! Nose of olive groves, green olives, and high quality olive oil, freshly crushed Greek and Italian herbs, Marjoram and Basil in particular, Thyme, Anise, minerality, crushed stones, barnyard, dark fruits and smoke.
The palate is wonderfully structured, with great grip. Balance and mouthfeel are excellent! The wine gives the impression of viscosity, which reminded me of the 2005 Pavie. The Mediterranean olive and herb elements also play tricks with the mind by creating the impression of an oily component, though none is present. The wine finishes with even greater grip than the attack and captivating flavors that linger beyond a minute.
Drank it over two days alongside a 2010 Domaine Brusset Gigondas Tradition Le Grand Montmirail; it was no contest. The Gigondas came across like a CdR compared to this mind-bending wine! A little air enhances the experience! Enjoy! 93-95!
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3/8/2013 - bajayngo wrote:
Delicious reduced notes of licorice, fresh basil, fig cake, hints of pepper between each sip and sniff and went great with chicken parmesan with kalamata olives, fresh basil and fresh mozzarella.
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1/21/2013 - bajayngo wrote: 88 Points
My go to CDR. The usual suspects of orange zest, sagebrush, tea, a bit of coffee grounds. The balance and weight on this is so consistant. Great with Lamb ragu
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1/3/2013 - arasse wrote: 88 Points
Excellent for $15. Perfect weekday drinker. Dry, balanced, dark fruit, earth.
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12/31/2012 - Motz wrote: 92 Points
A dry, earthy, traditional CdR. It shows strong tannins, and a great mineral finish. Lots of life ahead of this, possibly 5+ years. Best CdR I recall tasting...ever.
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11/3/2012 - Philippe_C wrote: 89 Points
Light nose of fresh red fruit, sous-bois, spices... the taste is full of red berries, very integrated tannins, average lenght
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10/1/2012 - bajayngo wrote: 89 Points
Always love this wine. Coffee grounds, black tea, orance zest, sagebrush, herbs de provance and darker fruit. Great with food and great alone. Easily my go to CDR.
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