1999 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Cinquantenaire

The prodigious, saturated, opaque ruby/purple-colored 1999 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Cinquantenaire (200 cases) is a candidate for the wine of the vintage. A 100% Grenache cuvee aged in older demi-muids, it is exceptionally full-bodied with a fabulous perfume of blackberry liqueur, cassis, minerals, spice, and flowers. The texture is sumptuous, and the wine accessible, although readers lucky enough to latch onto a few bottles should cellar it for 2-3 years, and watch the magic unfold over the following two decades. Awesome stuff! Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173

The prodigious, saturated, opaque ruby/purple-colored 1999 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Cinquantenaire (200 cases) is a candidate for the wine of the vintage. A 100% Grenache cuvee aged in older demi-muids, it is exceptionally full-bodied with a fabulous perfume of blackberry liqueur, cassis, minerals, spice, and flowers. The texture is sumptuous, and the wine accessible, although readers lucky enough to latch onto a few bottles should cellar it for 2-3 years, and watch the magic unfold over the following two decades. Awesome stuff! Wine Advocate.December, 2001