Wine Advisor
Pierre Usseglio, Chateauneuf Du Pape Reserve des Deux Freres 2001
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The monumental 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Deux Freres is a candidate for perfection. This offering produced from 65-70 year old Grenache vines, manages to hide its 16.2% natural alcohol. Inky black-colored, with a glorious perfume of minerals, blackberries, asphalt, white flowers, licorice, and blueberries, it is extremely unctuous with the intensity of a dry vintage Port. It cascades over the palate with unbelievable concentration and intensity. The finish lasts for over 60 seconds. Deep, full-bodied, and prodigious, it is also a modern day legend in the making. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2030. Kudos to Thierry and Jean-Pierre Usseglio, Wine Advocate wine personalities of the year in 2001! Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Deux Freres elicits “wows”. Aged 60% in neutral wood foudres and 40% in one, two, and three-year old Burgundy barrels, this 2001, which tips the scales at an awesome 16.2% natural alcohol, boasts an inky/purple color along with a sensationally pure bouquet of blackberries, graphite, acacia flowers, licorice, and sweet kirsch liqueur. Unctuously textured and full-bodied, with high tannin as well as a closed personality, this prodigious yet fabulous Chateauneuf du Pape is a potential legend in the making. It requires 3-5 years of cellaring, and should keep for two decades. The texture, purity, and magnificent concentration suggest tiny yields, old vines, and non-interventionalistic winemaking. By the way, this wine represents a selection of the finest lots in the cellar as the sources are the same as for the Cuvee de Mon Aieul, although a large component of Deux Freres is from the Usseglio holdings in the sector of Chateauneuf du Pape called La Crau. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2022+. Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
(aged 60% in foudre and 40% in barriques, with no new wood) Bright ruby-red. A liqueur of grenache on the nose: roasted plum, dried and cooked red berries, and walnuts. Huge and thick but verging on heavy; comes across as even riper than the 2000 but softer (this is 16.2% alcohol and still has 4.5 grams of residual sugar). The note of roasted nuts carries through on the palate. Finishes with a boatload of ripe tannins. Impressive for its sheer size, but this will be a meal substitute rather than a wine for the dinner table.
About the Producer
Château USSEGLIO is a family business. Its creation dates back to 1948, when grandfather Francis USSEGLIO left Italy to work as a wine worker at CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE. 1949 saw his first harvest come out of the oven. Later, his son Pierre took over the estate and expanded Château Pierre Usseglio. Today it covers 39 hectares, 24 hectares of Châteauneuf-du-Pape red, 1 hectare of Châteauneuf-du-Pape white, 6 hectares of Lillac red, 6 hectares of Côtes du Rhône and 2 hectares of French wines developed by Pierre's two sons. Jean-Pierre and Thierry Usseglio. The estate produces the traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape red wines. Half of the vines in the winery are over 65 years old and the other half are about 40 years old. The yields obtained are very low, around 20 to 25 hectolitres per hectare, depending on the vintage. Harvesting is always done by hand and sorting is selective. The grapes are destemmed and the winemaking process lasts 25 to 30 days, after which the wine is aged 50% in oak barrels for 12 days and 50% in concrete tanks. The result is a powerful, rounded wine with intense aromas of red fruit and spices. The wines of this estate are best consumed over a period of 5 to 10 years, depending on taste and vintage.
