Domaine Pierre Usseglio et Fils Chateauneuf-du-Pape Mon Aieul 2000

Professional Ratings

• 97 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  One of the more upfront, downright sexy vintages for this cuvee, the 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul has been firing on all cylinders for about a decade now. Giving up terrific notes of spice-box, cured meats, garrigue and mature Grenache fruit, this beauty is full-bodied, rich, concentrated and mouth filling, with serious amounts of fruit and texture. Like the '99, it's fully mature, but should hold nicely, although there's no need to delay gratification. In 2000, this incorporated a new parcel of sandy soils from a site just north of Domaine de la Solitude, in the la Crau lieu-dit. This blend was 85% Grenache, the rest Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvedre raised all in foudre.
• 97 Jeb Dunnuck
  A rocking bottle of wine and quite possibly a benchmark Chateauneuf, the 2000 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul is open for business with knockout aromatics of garrigue, saddle leather, meat and perfectly ripe, licorice infused fruit. Complex but also down right hedonistic, this is full bodied with sweet fruit, a full, smooth texture and a blockbuster finish. There’s still plenty of structure and tannin in the wine so I don’t see this fading anytime soon. Drink these over the next 10 years or so.
• 93 Wine Spectator
  Good deep red. Superripe, smoky, roasted aromas of liqueur-like dark fruits, minerals and game; distinct surmaturite from the sandy soil near Chateau Rayas. Fat, sweet and lush; has the texture of liquid velvet. Wonderfully rich flavors of dark fruits and game. This captures the fat of this vintage in spades. Finishes with compelling aromatic quality and big, thoroughly ripe, spreading tannins. Has just enough acidity to maintain its balance. Very impressive.