2022 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Imperiale
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Tasting notes
The Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Impériale, flagship of the domaine, is extremely impressive in 2022. Concentrated, round, rich, powerful, the most serious all of three wines tasted today. This cuvee is made from 100 years old vines has an incredible balance and concentration. The nose is classy, precise and brings on the perfect red fruit extracts! It is full-bodied but still so fresh, with integrated tannins and vibrant acidity. Still, the old Grenache plots brings all the finesse needed to produce a wine of this complexity. The mid palate offers a sense of dexterity and konwledge, as if it is speaking for Stephane and shows all his talent at once. Between mid palate and the finish, all the weight and power of the wine comes together sits down towards a long and persistent finish. It will deserve five years of cellaring to express its full potential for the next decades.
Critic scores
Average Score
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Impériale is just about all Grenache yet includes a mix of other permitted varieties, all raised in concrete. Playing in the medium-bodied, perfumed, elegant style of the vintage, this beauty offers an incredible perfume of sweet raspberries, spring flowers, peppery garrigue, and violets. With ultra-fine tannins, flawless overall balance, and a great finish, it's a gem in the vintage that will evolve gracefully over the coming 10-15 years.
The 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Imperiale—tasted as a tank sample—boasts knockout aromas of rose petals, garrigue, ripe cherries and red raspberries. It's full-bodied and tannic, concentrated yet somehow light, airy and refreshing at the same time, with a long, lingering finish. Great stuff from vines more than 100 years old.
About the producer
Domaine Raymond Usseglio is one of the leading producers of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, producing a number of different red and white cuvées from the appellation. The domaine’s most famous wine is their Châteauneuf-du-Pape Impériale, which comes exclusively from vines that are over 100 years old.
Product details
Grenache/ Garnacha , Syrah / Shiraz, Mourvedre/Monastrell/Mataro, Cinsault, Counoise
Red
Dry