2017 Chateauneuf du Pape

The classic 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape comes from tiny, tiny yields and checks in as 60% Grenache, 15% Each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, and the rest Cinsault that was 70% destemmed and brought up in a mix of used barrels. It's a beautiful, layered wine that delivers the goods, offering loads of black raspberry fruit, notes of spice, garrigue, licorice, and pepper, medium to full body, good acidity, and a great finish. Beautifully balanced, it can be drunk today with incredible pleasure or cellared for 15 years or more. Unquestionably one of the top estates in France is that of brothers Thierry and Jean-Pierre Usseglio, whose estate is located just north of the village of Châteauneuf du Pape, on the route to Orange. They pull from roughly 60 hectares of vines and the lineup has grown to include a Vin de France l’Unique, which replaces their Côtes Du Rhône, as well as a terrific Lirac. Looking at their Châteauneuf du Papes, the classic cuvée is always a Grenache heavy blend that include 15-20% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, as well as a small amount of Cinsault. This cuvée is normally mostly destemmed (the 2017 has around 30% stems) and is brought up in a mix of used barrels. The Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée Mon Aïeul always comes from the La Serres, La Crau, and La Guigasse lieux-dits and is 100% Grenache. It can vary from being completely destemmed or not at all depending on the vintage, and while past vintages saw a touch of new oak, it’s raised all in used demi-muids today. They also produce a tiny amount of their Châteauneuf du Pape Reserve des Deux Freres and it’s always been a more modern styled cuvée in the past, but the amount of new oak has been cut dramatically in recent vintages, with the 2016 only seeing 20% new barrels. This cuvée is always a cellar selection of the top lots in any vintage, and it’s unfortunately not made in either 2017 or 2018. Lastly, and only in great vintages, they’ll pull out a single barrel from the Les Serres lieu-dit that's from the oldest vines of the estate. This “Not For You” cuvée has been released in 2007, 2010, and 2016, and it’s Grenache at its most sexy, flamboyant, and over the top.

From yields that averaged just 17 hectoliters per hectare (half the appellation's maximum), the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape contains less Grenache than usual in the blend, being composed of 55% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault. Cola and chocolate notes dominate this full-bodied, silky-textured wine, adding hints of dried spices and licorice on the finish.