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The 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Deux Freres elicits “wows”. Aged 60% in neutral wood foudres and 40% in one, two, and three-year old Burgundy barrels, this 2001, which tips the scales at an awesome 16.2% natural alcohol, boasts an inky/purple color along with a sensationally pure bouquet of blackberries, graphite, acacia flowers, licorice, and sweet kirsch liqueur. Unctuously textured and full-bodied, with high tannin as well as a closed personality, this prodigious yet fabulous Chateauneuf du Pape is a potential legend in the making. It requires 3-5 years of cellaring, and should keep for two decades. The texture, purity, and magnificent concentration suggest tiny yields, old vines, and non-interventionalistic winemaking. By the way, this wine represents a selection of the finest lots in the cellar as the sources are the same as for the Cuvee de Mon Aieul, although a large component of Deux Freres is from the Usseglio holdings in the sector of Chateauneuf du Pape called La Crau. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2022+.Robert Parker | 99 RPBright ruby-red. Superripe, roasted aromas of singed red fruits, carob, marzipan and walnut. A huge, roasted wine showing strong evidence of surmaturite; flavors of dried fruits and walnut. With alcohol in the 16% range this is undeniably massive, but I found myself wishing it had more primary fruit and verve. Quite different in style from the Cuvee de Mon Aieul. A rare and expensive bottling, recommended for fans of the type.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Absolutely brilliant and jaw dropping good, the 2007 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Deux Frères, showing every bit as well as on release, is everything you could want in a wine and then some. Showing spectacular aromatics of Cassis, graphite, spice, chocolate, and garrigue, it is downright ethereal on the palate and possesses a full-bodied, yet weightless, elegant texture, perfect balance, thrilling richness, and a blockbuster finish that just keeps on giving. Simply a thrilling drink that I wish every Châteauneuf-du-Pape lover could experience, this awesome 2007 is superb now, yet will easily age for 2+ decades. Hat’s off to the Usseglio brothers for this utterly captivating bottle of wine!Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe perfect 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Deux Freres is slightly more evolved and complex than the Mon Aieul, as odd as that seems. Having had it twice out of bottle, this wine (nearly 100% Grenache combined with a few dollops of Syrah) possesses an opaque ruby/purple color as well as a thrilling texture and monumental length (the finish lasts over 60 seconds). it's a blockbuster, but everything is in perfect balance, and, remarkably, it comes across as the most accessible Reserve des Deux Freres made to date. This wine's aging is completely different from its sibling-s. Sixty percent is aged in 1, 2, and 3-year-old Burgundy barrels, and the rest in small new oak barrels, but there is not a hint of new oak in the aromatics. The bouquet reveals plenty of blackberry, blueberry, and cassis fruit intertwined with notions of melted licorice, spring flowers, and that classic garrigue note that comes across as the seaweed wrapper used in sushi restaurants, nori. There is a certain smokiness that is probably attributable to the oak, and the wine has incredible depth and richness, as well as a finish that seems endless. This extraordinary Chateauneuf du Pape is another prodigious effort in this historic vintage. It should drink well for two decades or more.Brothers Jean-Pierre and Thierry Usseglio have been accomplishing amazing things To reiterate, the 2007s are the most profound wines Thierry and Jean-Pierre have ever produced.Robert Parker | 100 RPGlass-staining ruby. A captivating bouquet evokes black and blue fruits with strong floral and spice accents. Lush, creamy and palate-coating, with sweet blackcurrant and boysenberry flavors, fully absorbed tannins and alluring spiciness. Tangy minerality adds bite and clarity to the finish, which is shockingly lithe for a wine with such palate impact. "This would be more Sophia Loren than Catherine Deneuve," says Usseglio.Vinous Media | 97 VMOffers a warm bread dough aroma, with very muscular-textured dark currant and fig sauce notes backed by a dense, licorice-filled finish. A very thick, broad style that scores points for its toasty, mocha-driven power, but lacks the racy vibrancy of the best. Best from 2010 through 2022. 250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de Mon Aïeul is another gorgeous wine from this family estate. As always it comes from three Grenache parcels: la Serres, La Crau and La Guigasse (there are 2 hectares in each parcel). In both 2015 and 2016 this cuvée wasn’t destemmed and was brought up mostly in tank, with 15-20% in demi-muids. The 2016 spent a huge 45 days on skins before being pressed to barrel. This beauty offers the fine, finesse-driven style of the vintage, yet has full-bodied depth and richness as well as sensational notes of framboise, crushed flowers, licorice, Christmas fruitcake and spice. It’s in the top handful of wines in the vintage and will benefit from short-term cellaring and have 20+ years of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JD(aged entirely in concrete vats) Lurid ruby-red. Exotic, intensely perfumed aromas of candied red and blue fruits, lavender and peppery spices, joined by a slowly emerging hint of garrigue. Fleshy and expansive on the palate, offering concentrated raspberry, cherry and fruitcake flavors and a spicy suggestion of white pepper. Shows excellent focus and a seamless quality on the finish, which is framed by suave, slow-building tannins.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMA bolder, more concentrated and compressed expression with darker plum and cherry fruits on the nose and palate. The power and concentration here is impressive. Gently chocolate-flavored at the finish. Terrific wine. Drink now.James Suckling | 94 JSNext to the traditional cuvée, the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is even riper and more concentrated, but that’s not always a good thing. This all-Grenache cuvée offers fudge-like density and rich tannins but also cooked, dead-fruit flavors and bright acidity on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

As always, the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée De Mon Aïeul is all Grenache (from La Serres, La Crau, and La Guigasse) that was not destemmed and was brought up all in used demi-muids. It’s an extraordinary wine, offering a mammoth bouquet of kirsch liqueur, black raspberries, ground pepper, white flowers, and spice. Full-bodied, concentrated, and opulent on the palate, with silky tannins, it’s not going to match the 2010 or 2016, but t’s a magical, elegant, layered wine that does everything right.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThis is lush and inviting in feel, with waves of warmed raspberry reduction taking center stage, while plum paste and cherry skin notes add range. Underneath the fruit, notes of anise, red and black tea and gently mulled spice notes course along, all supported by perfectly embedded acidity. A gorgeous wine that’s hard to lay off now because of the fruit, but there’s absolutely no rush. Best from 2023 through 2040. 375 cases made, 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSBrilliant ruby-red. An expansive, spice-accented bouquet evokes ripe red fruits, incense and potpourri, and a smoky mineral element adds urgency. Juicy, seamless and appealingly sweet, offering concentrated raspberry, boysenberry and floral pastille flavors that firm up slowly and turn spicier on the back half. Shows serious heft, but there’s a distinctly graceful quality as well. Finishes sappy, gently tannic and extremely long, leaving a suave lavender pastille note behind.Vinous Media | 94-95 VMRich and almost painfully intense, from yields that were reduced by coulure to only about six hectoliters per hectare, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is steadfast in being all Grenache and all whole cluster. Licorice, chocolate and super ripe plums appear on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied and velvety, with a long, warm finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPAnother string release under this label, showing rich dark fruit and earthy notes with plenty of spice. Tarry notes as well. The palate has a very plush, ripe and rich feel with juicy, ripe dark berries and plums, really bathed in deep, long and smooth-honed tannins. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS