2012 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils, Rhône

2012 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils, Rhône

Product: 20128116141
 
2012 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils, Rhône

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Description

The 2012 has 40% of stems added and includes 10% of Syrah and 10 % shared between Mourvèdre and Cinsault. The attack is classic Châteauneuf, a symphony of laurel, thyme, macerated plum and spice. The palate profile is linear and the palate is refreshed by a hint of menthol. 
Simon Field MW, Rhône Wine Buyer

The Usseglio scions in Châteauneuf-du-Pape are nothing if not complicated; the names of both Domaines allude to the second generation but it is now the third generation in charge, in this case Thierry and Jean-Pierre….the wines, thankfully, are easy to understand; traditional of persuasion, the property describes itself as a ‘Maison de Grenache’ a house which is attempting to make wines that are as silky as they are robust.

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About this WINE

Domaine Pierre Usseglio

Domaine Pierre Usseglio

This first class domaine is now run by Pierre Usseglio's sons Jean-Pierre and Thierry. It has recently expanded with the purchase of seven hectares of vines that Jean-Pierre had previously worked en metayage. The vineyards are split into three separate plots of vineyards in the La Crau, Serres and Le Bedine subzones of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The vineyards are old with an average age of 80 years and are planted with Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc and Roussanne.

The grapes from each of the three parcels are fermented separately in concrete cuves before being blended and then and aged for between 18-24 months in immaculately kept oak foudres.
 

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Châteauneuf-du-Pape

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.

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Southern Rhône Blend

Southern Rhône Blend

The vast majority of wines from the Southern Rhône are blends. There are 5 main black varieties, although others are used and the most famous wine of the region, Châteauneuf du Pape, can be made from as many as 13 different varieties. Grenache is the most important grape in the southern Rhône - it contributes alcohol, warmth and gentle juicy fruit and is an ideal base wine in the blend. Plantings of Syrah in the southern Rhône have risen dramatically in the last decade and it is an increasingly important component in blends. It rarely attains the heights that it does in the North but adds colour, backbone, tannins and soft ripe fruit to the blend.

The much-maligned Carignan has been on the retreat recently but is still included in many blends - the best old vines can add colour, body and spicy fruits. Cinsault is also backtracking but, if yields are restricted, can produce moderately well-coloured wines adding pleasant-light fruit to red and rosé blends. Finally, Mourvèdre, a grape from Bandol on the Mediterranean coast, has recently become an increasingly significant component of Southern Rhône blends - it often struggles to ripen fully but can add acidity, ripe spicy berry fruits and hints of tobacco to blends.

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