2011 Domaine Raymond Usseglio Châteauneuf-du-Pape Girard
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Tasting notes
Deep ruby. Smoky cherry and blackberry preserve aromas show very good clarity, with suggestions of licorice, musky herbs and lavender adding complexity. Lush and creamy in texture, offering gently sweet dark berry liqueur and floral pastille flavors and a hint of cracked pepper. A smoky quality comes up on the persistent finish, which is framed by chewy tannins.
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Josh Raynolds
Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate
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A custom importer blend and a wine I normally find to be very close in quality to the traditional cuvee, the 2011 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Girard is a step up in this vintage. Comprised of 85% Grenache, 5% Mourvedre and the balance an assortment of varieties, it exhibits an inky purple color to go with rocking aromas and flavors of blackberries, currants, toasted spice, graphite and licorice. Aged all in concrete (Mourvedre in barrel), this medium to full-bodied 2011 has surprising depth and richness, with loads of fruit, excellent mid-palate depth and sweet tannin that reins in the finish nicely. It will hit prime time in another year or three and drink nicely through 2021. Drink 2014-2021. Covering 45 acres (37 in red and the rest planted to white varieties) spread throughout Chateauneuf du Pape, this top-notch estate has been run by Raymond Usseglio’s son, Stephane, since 2004, with consulting help from Xavier Vignon. These wines are consistently outstanding and warrant serious attention. Importer: Weygandt-Metzler; tel. (610) 486-0700
About the producer
Domaine Raymond Usseglio is one of the leading producers of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, producing a number of different red and white cuvées from the appellation. The domaine’s most famous wine is their Châteauneuf-du-Pape Impériale, which comes exclusively from vines that are over 100 years old.