2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Pure Roussane, Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils, Rhône
Critics reviews
100% Roussanne. Vinified and aged for eight months in foudres (60%) and new oak barrels (40%). Certified organic and biodynamic.
Tasted blind. Pure golden fruit with a crystalline edge on the nose. Lovely energy here, with a dense fruit core. This is showy, opulent and heady but wonderfully underpinned by fresh, mineral salinity. A note of tinned peach on the unctuous, layered finish.
Drink 2026 - 2032
Alistair Cooper MW, JancisRobinson.com (October 2023)
The 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure Roussanne starts off slightly toasty and mealy, then develops ripe peach and pineapple aromas and flavors. Round and plushly textured in the mouth, this medium to full-bodied wine finishes long and refreshing.
In 2021, Usseglio said, "We were lucky to not get frosted—only five out of 25 hectares were affected." Of course, he and his pickers had to dodge the same raindrops as everyone else during harvest, but his 2021s have turned out really well. In 2022, he said, "We had a good winter, then it was very dry, with small berries. With the coolish nights, the vines didn't stop—we already had finesse at the end of August. The ferments went fast, malolactic was quick [and] the wines are accessible early, like 2007."
If the wines really turn out like 2007, the 2022 vintage could be one for the ages—and not just at this domaine.
Drink 2023 - 2030
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (September 2023)
A huge dry white with very concentrated apricot brulee and tropical flower character. Stunning interplay of ripeness and salty mineral freshness. Power and energy are exactly matched, too. What an exciting finish for this grape, which, as a mono-varietal wine, is often too big and heavy. Excellent aging potential. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification.
Drink or hold
Stuary Pigott, JamesSuckling.com (May 2023)
All varietal brought up in 40% new barrels (the balance in is foudre), the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Pure Roussanne brings a richer, bigger style and is loaded with ripe orchard fruits, brioche, toasted spice, and honeysuckle-like aromas and flavors. Broader and more expansive, it’s medium to full-bodied and has good acidity and a great finish. This is pure brilliant in Southern Rhône whites and is going to evolve for 15 years if well stored.
Drink 2023 - 2028
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (October 2023)
About this WINE
Domaine Raymond Usseglio
This third-generation family domaine, of Italian origin, is today run by Raymond’s son, Stéphane Usseglio. The estate counts 24-hectares in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, all of which have been managed biodynamically since 2011. Their vineyards are divided equally between the galet-strewn parcels around Orange, the sandy soils of Courthézon and the alluvial, clay soils of the Crau plateau and the village of Bédarrides. Stéphane continues to innovate, using small, new oak barrels alongside the traditional foudres, as well as experimenting with concrete and terracotta amphorae of varying shapes and sizes. These winemaking techniques enhance the characteristics of each grape variety, carefully highlighting the particularities of each.
Stéphane’s 2021 wines are a great success, albeit 20-25% down in volume against their average yield. The wines show their trademark power and structure; but as we’ve seen with other producers, they also have lower levels of alcohol and higher acidity than the last two vintages. While this freshness makes them more approachable in youth than in some years, their structure will ensure they are nonetheless worthy of cellar ageing. They are wines to return to throughout their ageing process.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
The most celebrated village of the Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the birthplace of the now indispensable French Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée system – imperfect though it may be. Compared to the Northern Rhône, the vineyards here are relatively flat and often feature the iconic galet pebbles – the precise benefits of which are a source of much debate. Minimum alcohol levels required by the AOC are the highest in France, but at 12.5% it is well below the natural generosity of Grenache, which only achieves its full aromatic potential when it is fully ripe and laden with the resultant high sugars. Syrah and Mourvèdre contribute the other defining elements in the blend, adding pepper, savoury spice and structure to the decadent Grenache. There are a further 10 permitted red grape varieties which can be used to adjust the “seasoning”. Of the five white varieties permitted, it is Grenache Noir’s sibling – predictably perhaps – Grenache Blanc, which dominates, though Roussanne shows a great deal of promise when handled well, notably at Château de Beaucastel.
Roussanne
Roussanne is one of the most important white grape varieties in the Rhône Valley. It is a particularly pernickety grape to cultivate being a notoriously low yielder as well as being highly susceptible to rot. It is difficult to ripen, and seemingly prone to oxidation at every opportunity. Roussanne's name comes from its russet-coloured skin and it produces richly aromatic wines, often with fruit characteristics of lime and blossom.
In the northern Rhône it is typically blended with Marsanne to produce the white wines of Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, St-Joseph, and St-Péray. Generally Marsanne is the dominant partner and it lends colour, body and weight to the blend, as well as richly scented fruit, while Roussanne contributes bouquet, delicacy and finesse.
It is grown less extensively in the southern Rhône although it is one of the permitted varieties in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. There are plantings of Roussanne in the Languedoc and Rousillon and in the last decade the grape have been cultivated with particular success in California, where it is produced both as a single varietal and as a component of Rhône-style blends.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
Miraculously saved from hail, the 2022 Roussanne is saline and rich without being too unctuous. Aged partly in new demi-muids and partly in large, old foudres, the nose is fresh, floral and slightly toasty. Flavours of apricot, honey and praline exude. Its freshness comes from picking the grapes early and not allowing malolactic fermentation. The finish is mineral and mouth-watering with plush and refined texture.
Drink 2024 - 2030
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