2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Not For You

In both 2007 and 2010, the Usseglios produced approximately 400 or so bottles from a small lot of 95-year-old Grenache from a vineyard in Les Grandes Serres that took over two years to ferment dry because of the extraordinarily high sugars. Called Chateauneuf du Pape Not For You, this is more like an Amarone-styled wine, or something akin to Henri Bonneau’s famous Cuvee Speciale that he made in both 1990 and 1998. It may not be “for you,” but there is not much of it. For those who are alcohol-phobes, this is a wine to clearly stay away from, as it has close to 18% finished alcohol and 2-3 grams of sugar (hence the comparison to Bonneau’s Cuvee Speciale or an Italian Amarone). It possesses loads of fig and animal notes as well as roasted herbs, sweet kirsch and plum-like fruit. It is definitely a different animal and probably best drunk from a tiny glass at the end of a meal by itself or with a selection of complementary cheeses. One of the top estates in Chateauneuf du Pape is that of the two brothers Thierry and Jean-Pierre Usseglio. Their cellars are just north of the village, adjacent to the walls of the ruins of the pope’s palace. They have nearly 60 acres under vine, and make three cuvees of red wines in the top vintages. Their classic or traditional cuvee is made from a blend of mostly Grenache, with some Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvedre. Their mostly unoaked, tank-fermented and -aged Mon Aieul comes from very old vines (about 85 years of age) and tiny yields, while their cuvee Des Deux Freres leans in a slightly more modern direction for Chateauneuf du Pape, with 50% of it now aged in small barrels, 20% in tank, and 30% in 600-liter demi-muids. Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173