2009 Chateauneuf du Pape

Vivid ruby. Deep red and dark berry aromas show good clarity and turn spicier with air. Juicy and precise on the palate, offering blackberry and cherry flavors and a hint of candied lavender. Closes with very good energy and lift, the spice and dark berry notes repeating. This wine is showing far more elegance now than it did last year.

The 2009 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Tradition, a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and the rest Mourvèdre and Cinsault, is aged half in cement tank, and the rest in a combination of foudre and neutral barrique (no new oak.) Loaded with framboise, spice , licorice, and roasted meats, this beautiful, classic Châteauneuf is medium to full-bodied and gorgeously fruited, possessing good freshness, and plenty of focus and length. Over the past decade, you just can’t go wrong with this cuvee and it always impresses. It should have 10-12 years of longevity.

Ruby-red. Subdued aromas of blackberry, cherry and licorice accented by white pepper. Sweet and round on entry, displaying dark fruit flavors given definition by firm acidity and complicated by slowly emerging suggestions of bitter cherry and candied anise. The firmly tannic finish features enticing floral lift and echoes the licorice note. Showing a serious side right now.