Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine Pierre Usseglio 2015

Moving to the 2015s, this is a solid vintage for this estate and the wines have more fruit and depth than most. A blend of mostly Grenache that was brought up in tank (10% was in older barrels), the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape offers a ripe, full-bodied, impressively concentrated style to go with lively, fresh notes of dried flowers, exotic spice, incense and both red and black raspberry-like fruit. It’s a winner in the vintage and will keep for a decade.

The 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape is mostly Grenache blended with 10% Syrah and 5% each of Mourvèdre and Cinsault. It’s mostly (not completely) destemmed and aged 80% in concrete and 20% in older barrels. It’s a terrific, full-bodied beauty that has ripe, sweet tannin, a great mid-palate and hedonistic notes of roasted herbs, black raspberries, chocolate and incense. It’s a no-brainer case purchase.