Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des 2 Freres 2020 750ml

95-97 The 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des 2 Freres raises the quality bar higher, offering scents of cedar, dried spices and black cherries. A blend of 85% Grenache and 15% Serine (Syrah), aged in new barrels, it’s full-bodied, rich and plush in feel, finishing long and velvety. I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating—I’m not usually a fan of maturing Grenache in small-format new oak vessels, but it seems to work in this case, resulting in a wine that’s somehow dessert-rich, yet savory and not overbearing, with a soft, almost pillowy impression on the palate.

• Country: France
• Region: Rhone Valley
• Appellation: Chateauneuf Du Pape
• Size: 750ml
• Color: Red

Varietal

Red Rhone Blend

The Rhone region of France has been producing superb quality white blended wines for centuries, and is a region highly respected and esteemed around the world, with plenty of New World countries keen to emulate the styles and techniques displayed by the historic wineries and skilled vintners of the area. The secret to the Rhone’s success when it comes to blended white wines is the careful and expert selection of certain grape varietals, which each lend special features to the blended wine and bring balance and harmony to the bottle. Most commonly, blended white Rhone wines feature no more than two grapes of either the Viognier, Rousanne, Marsanne or Grenache Blanc varietals, and are renowned for their exceptional flavors and highly aromatic, floral character.