The 2006 Usseglio mon Aïeul was the winning bottle in the February Installment of Pick My Next Bottle. The wine was decanted for an hour and served with homemade beef stew.
Pierre Usseglio, not to be confused with Raymond Usseglio (a different winery owned by his brother) was founded in 1948 by Francis Usseglio. Francis moved to the Rhone from Italy in 1931. Francis had two sons, Pierre and Raymond. Pierre took over this domaine and his brother Raymond created his own winery using his name which is how you have two different Usseglio wines in the Southern Rhone Valley today.
Mon Aieul was first bottled in 1998. Most of the fruit comes from old vine Grenache that was planted in 1926.
Crimson in color. 14.5% ABV. Savory nose of red fruits, stones, garrigue and herbes de Provence. Medium body with acidity in spades. Fresh, powerful and concentrated. Kirsch liqueur, iron, cherries and spiced plums on the palate. The finish is exceptionally long with silky tannins. So much to like here. Stunning Chateauneuf-du-Pape from an overlooked vintage. Drink over the next 5-7 years.
My rating: 95 points.
Current vintages of mon Aïeul are attractively priced around $80 per bottle.
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