Lirac’s near-ubiquity within the vineyard holdings of famed Ch¢teauneuf-du-Pape producers and its relatively more ethereal and delicate expression means that it often remains in the shadows. This is a shame since growers like Roger Sabon make such a fine and subtle rendition in this appellation that we’d be tempted to keep it all for ourselves – except for the fact that they own 12 hectares of Grenache, Syrah, Mourv®dre, and Carignan planted on gravelly clay-limestone soils quite similar to Ch¢teauneuf-du-Pape. So rather than make a blockbuster wine from this material, they let Lirac be Lirac in all its delicate and floral aromatics and earthy fruit flavors.

The Sabon family is an ancient and well-regarded name in Ch¢teauneuf-du-Pape, first mentioned in documents dating to 1540. Perhaps not as venerable as the Ameniers of Domaine de Marcoux and Domaine Giraud, but still eminently respectable. Seraphin Sabon, a more recent patriarch of the family, first bottled wine in the appellation under the family’s name in 1921. He also fathered three very enterprising sons, all of whom established their own Domaines: Joseph Sabon at Clos du Mont Olivet, Noel Sabon at Chante Cigale, and Roger Sabon. The Sabons are like the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young of the village. Domaine Roger Sabon was founded in 1952 and is currently run by Roger’s sons Denis and Gilbert. A third son, Jean-Jacques, is deceased, but his son-in-law Didier Negron is the current winemaker. Denis and his son Julien oversee the farming while Gilbert and his niece, Delphine, run the office. It is quite a family affair!

Proof/ABV: 14.5