2017 Chateauneuf Du Pape La Part des Anges

The 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Part Des Anges checks in as a blend of 70% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache and 10% Syrah that was brought up in 80% new French oak. It's certainly the most modern-styled wine in the lineup, yet it never loses its Southern Rhône soul, showing loads of red and black currants, blueberries, crushed violets, charred meats, and subtle background oak. Rich and medium to full-bodied, it's very much in the fresher, more pure, focused style of this estate, with terrific concentration, ripe tannins, and a great finish. I suspect it will shut down hard with 2-3 years of bottle age, so either try one right away or don't touch bottles for 6-7 years. Run today by the young yet obviously talented Stéphane Usseglio, Domaine Raymond Usseglio has gone from strength to strength over the past decade and is undeniably fashioning incredible, world class wines today. They have recently completed work on 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. 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 introduced their Les Apotres cuvée in 2015 (which I only tasted from barrel, not bottle) which is an amphora-raised blend of all the permitted varieties. As I wrote last year, the bottom line is that this estate is making beautiful wines and deserves more attention in the market today.

Tasted blind. Clove and cinnamon from oak influence, which dominates the nose and palate. Sweet, blackberry cordial fruit shows great purity and ripeness, but it can't escape the dominance of the oak spice. Furry, bold tannins that will last for years. Perhaps the oak will fade before the fruit? (RH)