One of the vintage’s strongest wines is undeniably the 2004 Le Secret des Sabon. It is full-bodied, powerful, with hints of Amarone intermixed with saddle leather, roasted meats, incense, and chocolate. In addition, plenty of pepper, black currant, and sweet, ripe cherry notes intertwined with nuances of Provencal herbs are found in the wine’s fabulous texture. Plenty of structure and length are also present in one of the few wines of this vintage that will evolve for 15-20 more years. Jean-Jacques Sabon and his family run this renowned estate which is consistently one of the reference points of Chateauneuf du Pape. What is probably confusing for consumers is that there are four different Chateauneuf du Papes, but the first three are available in good commercial quantities, with only the Le Secret des Sabon a limited cuvee of under 200 cases.P.S. By the way, Jean-Jacques Sabon changed the upbringing of Le Secret des Sabon from some of the cuvee being aged in small oak barrels to 100% of it now aged in 600-liter demi-muids.Importer: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565