Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils - Châteauneuf-du-Pape Impériale rouge 2021

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

A classic Châteauneuf estate, managed since 2004 by Stéphane, Raymond’s son, with vineyards scattered throughout the region, including very old Grenache vines in Pialons and Grand Pierre. The wines possess the power and structure one expects of them. The prestigious “Impériale” cuvée, aged partially in barrels, is made from these old Grenache vines.

Decanter

About the wine:

A lovely sensation of purity and clarity reminiscent of wild berries, with a hint of smoke on the nose. Medium-bodied to full-bodied, with intense fruit concentration, featuring expressive notes of blueberry and blackberry. A long finish that ends cleanly and precisely. It has a good amount of fine tannins, so give it some time. The soils are mainly sandy in the Farguerol Nord and Pied Long vineyards. Fermented and aged in concrete.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

Through a series of purchases, Raymond Usseglio expanded the size of this Castelpapal estate—founded by his father Francis, who came from Italy in 1931 to work the land—to 33 hectares. Since 1999, the estate has been run by his only son, Stéphane. The estate has obtained organic and biodynamic certifications.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the estate:

Stephan Usseglio has propelled this certified organic and biodynamic estate, named after his father, into the ranks of the region’s finest. Furthermore, he has continued to experiment, trying out different aging and fermentation vessels, single-varietal wines, and blends outside the appellation’s boundaries to create innovative French wines that often offer exceptional value. As part of his efforts to reduce alcohol levels, he plants Clairette when he needs to replace a dead Grenache vine. “There’s one or two degrees [of potential alcohol] less at harvest,” explains Mr. Usseglio. The quality of the white wines has improved over recent vintages and has become one of the estate’s priorities, with white wines now accounting for 25% of production. There are limited-production, high-end versions of pure Clairette and Roussanne, but the blended cuvée—which is also excellent—should not be overlooked. In 2021, Mr. Usseglio said, “We were lucky not to have frost—only five hectares out of 25 were affected.” Of course, he and his harvesters had to dodge the same raindrops as everyone else during the harvest, but his 2021 vintage turned out very well. In 2022, he says, “we had a good winter, then it was very dry, with small berries. Thanks to the cool nights, the vines didn’t stop growing; we already had finesse by late August. Fermentation was quick, malolactic fermentation was quick [and] the wines are drinkable early, just like in 2007." If the wines truly turn out like those of 2007, the 2022 vintage could be one of the greatest, and not just for this estate.

James Suckling

Jeb Dunnuck