Pierre Usseglio
About Pierre Usseglio
A touch of Italy deep in the heart of Southern France, Francis Usseglio founded what we now know as Domaine Pierre Usseglio in 1948 having moved to the Rhône from his native Italy in 1931.
It is his son Pierre who gave his name to the current estate, as Francis’ other son Raymond founded his own Usseglio Châteauneuf-du-Pape label upon their father’s death – the addition of the brothers’ first names to their respective Domaines certainly aids in the avoidance of confusion.
Viniculture
24 hectares spread across 17 different parcels of Châteauneuf-du-Pape constitute the extensive holdings of Domaine Pierre Usseglio, and they are amongst the very greatest in the Southern Rhône. Grenache remains the undisputed focus of the Usseglios, with up to 80% of their entire vineyards planted with the varietal. True masters of the varietal, their two prestige cuvées (Réserve des Deux Frères and Cuvée de mon Aïeul) are pure Grenache expressions.
Cuvée de mon Aïeul is a sensational wine and the stuff of dreams for those with a love for powerfully classic and complex Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Sourced from vines with an average age of 95 years and extremely low yielding, it was originally blended with a dash of 5% Syrah in the late 1990s. Quickly doing away with this to create a pure Grenache cuvée, brothers Jean-Pierre and Thierry confined the vineyards from which the fruit for this wine could be sourced to three specific plots.
Their most exceptional wine, Châteauneuf du Pape "Not For You!" is a cuvée sourced entirely from vines over a century old in the lieu-dit of Les Grandes Serres. A mythical wine made from pure Grenache, this wine is a unicorn that has only been released once in history, with a mere 300 bottles produced.
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Jeb Dunnuck (100)
Getting more than one exclamation in the notes, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de Mon Aïeul is a deep, rich yet vibrant red that offers a kaleidoscope of kirsch liqueur, garrigue, crushed flowers, Asian spices, and cured meats. It's more opulent and sexier than the 2010, fresher and purer than the 2007, has deep, full-bodied aromas and flavors, and a huge finish. It's a sensational, heavenly Châteauneuf-du-Pape that tops out my scale. This cuvée is 100% Grenache that was not destemmed and was aged in 20% demi-muids and the balance in concrete tanks.保税价格￥ 2,990.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98+)
One of the top handful of wines in the vintage, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée De Mon Aïeul is all Grenache, from the different terroirs (one sand, one clay, and one limestone) that was 50% destemmed and aged all in older demi-muids. Reminding me of the 2007 with its incredible perfume of ripe black raspberries, strawberries, flowery incense, peppery and Provençal garrigue, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a round, expansive texture, gorgeous tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. A wine of incredibly purity, precision, and elegance, yet also with power and opulence, this sensational effort is in need of 3-4 years of bottle age and will keep for two decades.保税价格￥ 2,505.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97)
The crème de la crème of the vintage, the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée De Mon Aïeul is 100% whole cluster fermented Grenache raised mostly in demi-muids. It doesn't get more Provençal than this beauty, whose deeper ruby hue is followed by a killer nose of darker cherries, blackberries, olive tapenade, licorice, and peppery garrigue. With medium to full-bodied richness, the sun-kissed, perfumed, complex style of the vintage, ample opulence and fat, and sweet, integrated tannins, it's a stunning, classic expression of this cuvée to enjoy over the coming 10-15 years. There's no Reserve Des Deux Freres in the vintage, as the team didn't feel it was warranted in the vintage.保税价格￥ 3,085.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
There's a single barrel of the 2016 Châteauneuf Du Pape Not For You, which is 100% Grenache from the Les Serres lieu-dit from the oldest vines of the estate. It wasn’t destemmed and spent two years in a neutral barrel. It offers an incredible bouquet of kirsch, blackberries, incense, white flowers, garrigue and spice that develops beautifully with time in the glass. Rich, powerful, full-bodied, and concentrated, it nevertheless glides over the palate with no weight, ultra-fine tannins, and a singular, exotic, lengthy style.保税价格￥ 2,175.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
While the 2020 will include a splash of Syrah, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Réserve Des Deux Frères is its normal 100% Grenache and is a selection made in the cellar. In 2019, it ended up being roughly 30% new oak, and I think there were some stems included as well. It’s another magical wine from this estate, boasting a dense purple hue as well as a perfume of black raspberries, cassis, blueberry liqueur, spring flowers, toasted bread, and lavender. Full-bodied on the palate, with an incredible mouthfeel, riveting purity, and ultra-fine tannins, it’s unquestionably one of the all-time greats of this cuvée. Give bottles 3-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades or more.保税价格￥ 5,500.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97+)
The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Réserve Des Deux Freres is almost all Grenache but includes a tiny parcel of very old vine Serine Syrah from Charbonniere. This deep purple-hued effort boasts a killer nose of blackberries, cassis, spicy wood, graphite, and ground pepper, among other Provençal nuances. Pure, full-bodied, and flawlessly balanced, it has building yet perfectly ripe tannins, the vintage’s more elegant, streamlined style, and a great finish. It's beautifully done and will benefit from just a few years of bottle age and keep for 15 to 20 years.保税价格￥ 1,780.00
