2018 Domaine Pierre Usseglio 'Cuvee de Mon Aieul' Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Winemaker Notes:  Our Tradition has aromas of red fruits and black fruits; blackberry and blueberry, as well as hints of spice.  It is a concentrated and structured wine, it is a wine to keep. We recommend tasting it in 6-8 years.  

The wines are aged in oak barrels, in half barrels, in concrete vats and barrels over a period of 12 months.  Our red Châteauneuf-du-Pape is made in the traditional way. The vines are between 35 and 75 years old. The grapes harvested manually are 60% destemmed. The fermentation is followed by thermoregulation, it lasts from 25 to 35 days.

Blend: 55% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault

Madeline Triffon, MS Selection:"Terrific fruit quality, an obvious jump in concentration from their regular cuvee. The same adept winemaking hand is apparent (as Traditional bottling)"

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


Jeb Dunnuck - "More kirsch liqueur, violets, white pepper, and garrigue notes emerge from the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée De Mon Aïeul, a 100% Grenache cuvée that was partially destemmed and brought up all in demi-muids. As usual, this cuvée comes from older vines in the La Crau, la Guigasse, and les Serres lieux-dits, which are a mix of more pebbly and sandy soils. It ratchets up the intensity over the classic cuvée yet stays beautifully balanced with a weightless texture, a great mid-palate, and a blockbuster of a finish. It’s not going to be the longest-lived vintage for this cuvée (which is common in 2018), but it’s going to put a big smile on your face anytime over the coming 10-15 years."


Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - "While the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul does show a touch of oak influence on the nose, it also shows more freshness and energy than the regular cuvée. All Grenache, all whole cluster and aged in used demi-muids, there are waves of ripe raspberries and black cherries, drizzled with dark chocolate and spice. Full-bodied and velvety, it's a big, plush, welcoming mouthful of super ripe Grenache that avoids going completely over the top."