2015 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Imperiale Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils

Product Description

The Usseglio family’s journey into wine-making began with Francis Usseglio, an Italian vineyard worker who moved to the Rhone Valley in 1931. He set up his winery in 1948. He had two sons, Raymond and Pierre, who also both set up their own wine estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. From humble beginnings, the Usseglios have become a massive success. Here, we are focusing on Raymond’s story.

Domaine Raymond Usseglio was founded in 1964, by Raymond and his wife Danielle. It consists of 18 hectares of vineyard in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and 5 in the Côtes du Rhône appellation. The estate’s land encompasses many of the appellation’s different microclimates and soils, from sandy soils to mineral-rich clay marl.

Raymond’s son Stéphane Usseglio took over most of the operations in 1999, making the winery a three-generation business. At the time, he was 22 years old. Stéphane has steadily moved the estate over to biodynamic farming methods, and it became fully certified organic in 2015.

The Cuvée Impériale is emblematic, standing out with a composition of more than 90% Grenache noir from century-old vines planted in 1902 on sandy soils. This wine, at once deep, concentrated and airy, is distinguished by its elegance and finesse.