About the Producer
Clos du Mont Olivet is run by three members the Sabon family, Thierry, Celine, and David. The estate extends over 21 hectares in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with a further 14 hectares in Lirac, along with 10 hectares in the Côtes du Rhône and 3 in the Vin de Pays du Gard. The consistency of the wines of Mont Olivet stands testament to the series of winemaking decisions taken and never ceases to impress. From 2000 onwards, while many estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape started to experiment by creating micro-cuvées from old plots and employing new oak in an effort to chase critic reviews, the team at Mont Olivet stuck to their own style. Not to say that they have not evolved, rather that the estate and its wines have maintained their identity. Their vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape are spread across the appellation and include some of the most famous lieux-dits (or ‘named vineyards’), with each different site and terroir contributing to the complexity of their wines. And, where many Châteauneuf-du-Pape estates have moved towards Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, or even wines made from 100% Grenache, Mont Olivet has a notable supporting cast of lesser-known native varieties, such as Counoise, Vaccarèse, Muscardin, Terret Noir, Picpoul Noir as well as Cinsault. Incorporating all these native varieties echoes their philosophy of being true to their roots and making complex, age-worthy wines. Harvest can be a challenging time with different plots, and varied ripening times for each grape variety. Thierry is meticulous with extraction –his preference is for elegance and, with fruit as rich as that in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, his approach consistently pays dividends, not least in the recent hot, dry vintages. Each variety is fermented separately for their signature Clos du Mont Olivet, allowing them to assemble the blend once they have had the chance to evaluate the fruit from different parcels and varieties. The assembled wine is then aged in either old oak foudres, barrels, or in vat.
