The top wine of the estate is the 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape le Secret de Sabon, and the inky-colored 2012 is a brilliant effort. I don’t think it hits the heights of the 2010, 2007 or 2001, but it’s still a singular expression of Grenache that could come from nowhere else, and is distinctly different from the three prior Châteauneufs. Possessing a sweet nose of ripe raspberries, kirsch, garrigue and licorice, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, tons of glycerol and texture, sweet tannin and moderate acidity. It’s already approachable, yet I suspect will improve with another handful of years in the cellar and drink well through 2027 at a minimum.