Pierre Usseglio
About Pierre Usseglio
A touch of Italy deep in the heart of Southern France, Francis Usseglio founded what we now know as Domaine Pierre Usseglio in 1948 having moved to the Rhône from his native Italy in 1931.
It is his son Pierre who gave his name to the current estate, as Francis’ other son Raymond founded his own Usseglio Châteauneuf-du-Pape label upon their father’s death – the addition of the brothers’ first names to their respective Domaines certainly aids in the avoidance of confusion.
Viniculture
24 hectares spread across 17 different parcels of Châteauneuf-du-Pape constitute the extensive holdings of Domaine Pierre Usseglio, and they are amongst the very greatest in the Southern Rhône. Grenache remains the undisputed focus of the Usseglios, with up to 80% of their entire vineyards planted with the varietal. True masters of the varietal, their two prestige cuvées (Réserve des Deux Frères and Cuvée de mon Aïeul) are pure Grenache expressions.
Cuvée de mon Aïeul is a sensational wine and the stuff of dreams for those with a love for powerfully classic and complex Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Sourced from vines with an average age of 95 years and extremely low yielding, it was originally blended with a dash of 5% Syrah in the late 1990s. Quickly doing away with this to create a pure Grenache cuvée, brothers Jean-Pierre and Thierry confined the vineyards from which the fruit for this wine could be sourced to three specific plots.
Their most exceptional wine, Châteauneuf du Pape "Not For You!" is a cuvée sourced entirely from vines over a century old in the lieu-dit of Les Grandes Serres. A mythical wine made from pure Grenache, this wine is a unicorn that has only been released once in history, with a mere 300 bottles produced.
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Rhone | 1 | 94 (JD) | HK$1,725.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (94)Mostly Grenache yet with 15% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, with 10% Cinsault, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape boasts a vivid purple hue as well as a complex bouquet of red, blue, and black fruits as well as notes of flowers, spice, and peppery garrigue. It actually reminds me of the Cuvée Mon Aïeul with its ripe yet elegant profile. Full-bodied, balanced, and lengthy, it’s going to offer loads of pleasure over the coming 10-15 years. |
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Rhone | 1 | 98+ (JD) | HK$3,705.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (98+)One of the top handful of wines in the vintage, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée De Mon Aïeul is all Grenache, from the different terroirs (one sand, one clay, and one limestone) that was 50% destemmed and aged all in older demi-muids. Reminding me of the 2007 with its incredible perfume of ripe black raspberries, strawberries, flowery incense, peppery and Provençal garrigue, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a round, expansive texture, gorgeous tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. A wine of incredibly purity, precision, and elegance, yet also with power and opulence, this sensational effort is in need of 3-4 years of bottle age and will keep for two decades. |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (JD) | HK$4,550.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (100)The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Not For You is flat-out awesome, and Grenache doesn't get any better in this reviewer's opinion. Coming from 100-year-old vines in the Les Serres lieu-dit, in the southern end of the appellation, it was not destemmed and was brought up in a single new demi-muid. Incredible aromatics of darker berries, Provençal garrigue, ground pepper, lavender, and leather are just some of its nuances, and this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, opulent mouthfeel, full-bodied richness, ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. While this is a massive wine by any measure, it's not over the top, stays perfectly balanced, has ripe tannins, and is an incredibly singular wine. Unfortunately, it will be just about impossible to find in the market. If you're lucky enough to find a bottle, it should be at its best from 2026-2041. |
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Rhone | 33 | 100 (JD) | HK$3,060.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (100)The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Not For You is flat-out awesome, and Grenache doesn't get any better in this reviewer's opinion. Coming from 100-year-old vines in the Les Serres lieu-dit, in the southern end of the appellation, it was not destemmed and was brought up in a single new demi-muid. Incredible aromatics of darker berries, Provençal garrigue, ground pepper, lavender, and leather are just some of its nuances, and this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, opulent mouthfeel, full-bodied richness, ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. While this is a massive wine by any measure, it's not over the top, stays perfectly balanced, has ripe tannins, and is an incredibly singular wine. Unfortunately, it will be just about impossible to find in the market. If you're lucky enough to find a bottle, it should be at its best from 2026-2041. |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (JD) | HK$5,740.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (100)While the 2020 will include a splash of Syrah, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Réserve Des Deux Frères is its normal 100% Grenache and is a selection made in the cellar. In 2019, it ended up being roughly 30% new oak, and I think there were some stems included as well. It’s another magical wine from this estate, boasting a dense purple hue as well as a perfume of black raspberries, cassis, blueberry liqueur, spring flowers, toasted bread, and lavender. Full-bodied on the palate, with an incredible mouthfeel, riveting purity, and ultra-fine tannins, it’s unquestionably one of the all-time greats of this cuvée. Give bottles 3-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades or more. |
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