2001 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de Mon Aieul

More precise and focused than the more exuberant, sexy and rounded '00, the 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is borderline perfection (I seriously considered adding a point here) and a monumental Chateauneuf du Pape that is drinking at point. Kirsch, olive tapenade, roasted meats, tobacco and assorted mature Grenache characteristics give way to a full-bodied, massively endowed, concentrated, gorgeously layered wine that's just about as good as it gets. I kept coming back to this over the evening and it got better and better with air, so while fully mature, it's not going anywhere soon.

Meaning Ancestor, and named in honor of Thierry and Jean–Pierre Usseglio’s grandfather, the 2001 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul, 100% Grenache that was aged all in concrete tank, is a benchmark Châteauneuf that is the essence of old vine Grenache. Yielding gorgeous aromatics of kirsch and blackberry styled fruits that are supported by garrigue, meat juice, licorice, and spice, the wine is full bodied on the palate and shows a perfect texture, beautiful poise and focus, and a seamless, very long finish. Hard to fault and this does almost everything right. It should continue to improve for another 2-3 years, and drink well for 10-15 after that. This is a gorgeous wine that every CDP lover needs in the cellar.

Red-ruby. Raspberry liqueur, game and exotic woodsmoke on the nose. Large-scaled, powerful and dense, with an impressive, solid core of almost medicinal black cherry and dark berry fruit. Very deep, rich, young Chateauneuf with strong but ripe palate-coating tannins and superb persistence. This will reward seven to ten years of cellaring.