2016 R Usseglio Coll (Imperiale, Part Anges, Apotres)

The Mourvèdre-dominated 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Parte des Anges got a few “Wows” in the notes and is a rich, powerful 2016 that boasts a blockbuster bouquet of blackcurrants, white flowers, candle wax, and cured meats. It has integrated its oak élevage wonderfully since I tasted it last year and is pure Southern Rhône goodness today. Give this full-bodied, concentrated, yet expansive and opulent effort 2-4 years of bottle aged and drink it over the following 10-15+ years. While the domaine of Raymond Usseglio has sat in the shadow of Domaine Pierre Usseglio in the past, that is changing under the helm of the young Stéphane Usseglio and the estate is making singular, world-class wines today. They have a new state of the art cellar located on the northern edge of the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and pull from around 45 acres of vines, mostly in the center and northern part of the appellation. From this, they produce a number of cuvées, yet the core is the traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape, based on 80-90% Grenache and the balance Mourvèdre, the La Parte des Anges, based primarily on Mourvèdre, and the Cuvée Imperiale, based on tank-aged old vine Grenache. They have a Cuvée Girard which is basically a tweaked version of the traditional cuvée and have introduced a new Les Apotres cuvée, an amphora-raised blend of all the permitted varieties. Bottom line, the estate is making beautiful wines.

The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Part des Anges puts the pedal to the metal on the modern scale, offering lots of vanilla and oak, as well as full-bodied richness, tons of cassis and black raspberry fruit, sweet tannin, and great finish. I love its purity, but this is certainly not for the oak adverse out there. This is an estate readers need to have on their radar as the quality has continued to improve in just about every vintage.

Cask sample. Rather lovely leathery note with more open development than many 2016s. A touch of medicinal character integrates into the palate well, and there's a nicely balanced tannic grip with pretty decent acidity. Long, ripe, savoury black fruit on the finish. (RH)