Dom. Pierre Usseglio et Fils Chateauneuf-du-Pape Tradition 2003
Rhone Red Blends
from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone, France
winemaker's notes:
"The deep plum/ruby/purple-colored 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape (80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre and Cinsault; 40,000 bottles produced) exhibits aromas of cassis, black cherries, earth, and pepper. This full-bodied, tannic, rich, ageworthy 2003 will benefit from 1-2 years of bottle age, and drink well for 12-14 years."
"One cannot say enough about the extraordinary qualitative revolution that has quietly taken place at this well-known domaine north of the village of Chateauneuf du Pape. While father Pierre is still on the premises, providing a wealth of historical information about the vineyards, his two sons, Jean-Pierre and Thierry, have introduced two extra-special cuvees, pushing this estate into the top echelon of Chateauneuf du Pape producers. This domaine is notorious for incredibly low yields (in 2003 yields were 25-28 hectoliters per hectare) as well as traditional winemaking. They now have a small, 1-hectare plot of vin de pays planted with Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alicante, and Merlot."
-Wine Advocate
user reviews:
The top 3 most liked reviews for this wine.
A Customer - CT USA
Very tannic, heady, powerful wine. Somewhat astringent and tart for my taste, but big and with relatively good body. Nice liquorice nose with plum smoky flavours. The tannins give the wine depth but are harsh and tart. I appreciate this wine as a high quality Chateauneuf, a bit overwhelming and not quite smooth enough. The Grenache needs some tempering down. Would rate this at 89 to 90, perhaps higher if softened by aging.
For the price, definitely worth trying as the experience is BIG.
Recommend cellaring for 3-4 more years to let the tannins mellow.
