Enjoy Over Century-Old Vines For Less Than Fifty Cents Per Year

Usseglio, though an Italian name, quickly conjures up thoughts of France’s Rhone valley for those in the wine world. In 1931 Francis Usseglio left Italy for work in Chateauneuf du Pape and shortly after WWII became a tenant farmer producing his own wine.  Francis had two sons Pierre and Raymond. Pierre took over managing the family vineyard, and after buying more plots founded Domaine Pierre Usseglio which eventually became known for the special cuvees Mon Aieul and Reserve des Deux Freres. Raymond purchased his first vineyard in 1962 and in 1964 established Domaine Raymond Usseglio. Currently the domaine is run by Raymond’s son Stephane with consultation from Xavier Vignon and there are basically 3 red and 3 white Chateauneuf du Pape wines currently being produced. 

Beginning in 2007 a limited cuvee known as La Part des Anges has been produced focusing on the Mourvedre grape, but it is their Cuvee Imperiale that most customers seek out. From vines planted in 1901 and 1902 in northeast lieux-dits, this “Vignes Centenaires” is usually 90% Grenache and a 10% blend of other permissible varieties. A small percentage of the wine is aged in barriques while the larger amount is split between cement tanks and foudres.  

Jeb Dunnuck of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate originally scored the 2012 vintage 93-95+ in October of 2013, calling it “one of the stars in the vintage. Offering up gorgeous Grenache character, with ripe blackberry, kirsch, licorice, old pepper and earth, it is a full-bodied, rich and voluptuously textured effort that possesses fantastic purity, loads of fruit and grippy tannin. It should be reasonably approachable on release, yet benefit from a handful of years in the cellar.” In October of 2014 he gave it a solid 95pt score stating “it offers awesome black and blue fruits, violets, licorice and crushed rock-like minerality in its full-bodied, balanced, pure and elegant profile. Impressively concentrated, inky colored and with sweet tannin, it’s capable of evolving for 12-15 years or more.” 

Needless to say when we had the opportunity to obtain some to sell for just $49.95 we didn’t hesitate. The remaining lot has just arrived and I wouldn’t hesitate to scoop some up as ancient vine Chateauneuf du Pape of this caliber at this pricing is nearly unheard of. Enjoy it in its youth this fall and winter with hardy dishes, as well as years to come with more refined fare.