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.

To everybodys surprise a Chilean wine, 2000 Vinedo Chadwick, took the first spot and with another, 2001 Sena, as second. In the third and fourth spot came 2000 Chateau Lafite and 2001 Chateau Margaux.

This created a lot of debate, specially among journalists not participating in the tasting! How could experts be wrong and so much wrong?

Since then the tasting has been repeated a couple of times and yesterday, May 14 2008, it was held in Copenhagen. This time with the 2005 Bordeaux vintage, the 2004 Tuscan vintage and 2004 & 2005 Chilean vintages. Tough competition for Chile.

I was among the 22 journalists in the judging panel. The task was to taste 10 wines blind in a cold, airconditioned room. All details were perfect. We were asked to select the three best wines among the ten and give them 3, 2 and 1 pts. - 3 pts. to the best wine. And of course guess the different wines and origins.

To me, I had two wines which I rated as the best and then two more as close runner-ups. I was sure the one I chose as the best was from Chile, but it could have been from Bordeaux as well. It was the 2004 Errazuriz Don Maximiano.

But I was 100% certain that my number two was from Bordeaux. However it was my only geographical misjudgement of the day! The wine was from Tuscany, the super 2004 Solaia. As number three I had to choose among two very good wines, which I classified as Bordeaux. I was right. I chose 2005 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild and “threw away” the 2005 Mouton-Rothschild…

But my four wines also showed up later in the top 4 of the wines. The result of the tasting was:

1. 2005 Château Lafite-Rothschild (3)
2. 2004 Don Maximiano (1)
3. 2005 Château Mouton-Rothschild
3. 2004 Solaia (2)
5. 2005 Seña
6. 2005 Don Maximiano
7. 2005 Château Latour
8. 2005 Viñedo Chadwick
9. 2004 Seña
10. 2004 Sassicaia

The 2005 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild were the winner. I know not all would spend €1.000 or $1.700 on a bottle 2005 Lafite so it’s interesting that the second best wine was the cheapest in the tasting. The 2004 Errazuriz Don Maximiano is selling for around €50/$80 and is a splendid wine. You should try it!

The result of the tasting was (once again) a surprise. Mr. Eduardo Chadwick himself was surprised but also happy and proud. He had once more showed that the best wine of Chile can compete with and beat the best wines in the world.

The disappointment of the tasting was the 2004 Sassicaia. It was the only wine not getting any points at all and most had it as a clear loser.

My tasting notes from the tasting will follow in a day or two.