Wine4Freaks

I frequently participate in press-wine tastings in Copenhagen. Normally its about tasting the recent vintage or vintages from a particular wine producer - maybe with one or two older vintages. Nothing wrong with that. Its always the latest vintage that is going on the shelves and where the need for good press is welcomed.

But I must admit the recent press tasting with Domaine Pierre Usseglio from Chateauneuf-du-Pape in Copenhagen was a bit more interesting. We were able to taste 19 different Chateauneufs from this excellent producer. The host was the Danish importer The Wine Company.

To taste seven vintages from 2000 to 2006 of Chateauneuf Tradition says something about the domains style, capability and development. Add to this two different (cult) cuvées in seven and five different vintages then you begin to understand this winemaker and domain!

But before we deep in to the wines, here is a short background. The Domaine was established i 1948 by Francis Usseglio, an Italian immigrant. He had worked as a vineyard worker in Chateauneuf-du-Pape since 1931 but had the opportunity to make his own wine from 8 ha (20 acres) in 1948. Year 1949 was the first vintage from the domaine. Later on his son Pierre took over the domaine and the vineyard holding grew so today there is 22 ha in  Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2,5 ha Côtes-du-Rhône and 0,5 ha Vin de Table.

Today the domaine is run by Pierre’s two sons, Jean-Pierre and Thierry. And it was Thierry with his wife Sandrine, who visited Copenhagen.

Grenache is the main grape in all the Usseglio wines from rather old vines - up to 90 years. The grapes are grown in different areas of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and most of the wines are blended from these areas.

You can read the tasting notes from the traditional Chateauneuf-du-Pape here.