Domaine Raymond Usseglio Chateauneuf Rhone Wine Complete Guide

Learn everything about Domaine Raymond Usseglio Chateauneuf du Pape with wine tasting notes, wine and food pairings, best vintages, a history of the property, information on the vineyards, and winemaking. If you want to read about other important wineries and winemakers from the Rhone valley: Links to all Rhone Valley Wine Producer Profiles

Domaine Raymond Usseglio History, Overview

Domaine Raymond Usseglio is a different estate than Domaine Pierre Usseglio, which is owned by his brother. Francis Usseglio moved to the Rhone from Italy in 1931. It took until 1948 before Francis Usseglio created his own winery. Francis Usseglio had two sons, Pierre Usseglio and Raymond Usseglio.

Pierre Usseglio took over the family estate and Raymond Usseglio created his own winery using his name in 1964. As soon as Domaine Raymond Usseglio was created, the estate was bottling and selling their own wine, which was not a common practice in those days.

Today, the current generation of the Usseglio family, headed by Stephane Usseglio, continues to manage the Domaine in the Southern Rhone Valley.

Domaine Raymond Usseglio Vineyards, Wines, Winemaking

Domaine Raymond Usseglio owns 18 hectares of vines in Chateauneuf du Pape. Three hectares of vines are used for grapes planted to produce Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc. The remaining 15 hectares are devoted to growing red, Chateauneuf du Pape varietals.

Their vines are well placed, primarily in two locations, with 50% of their vines planted in the famous La Crau vineyard, with the remaining vines situated close to the ancient castle of the Pope. Most of their vines are on average close to 60 years of age. But they do have old vines, some of which are more than 100 years of age.

Domaine Raymond Usseglio also owns 5 hectares in the Cotes du Rhone appellation and another 3 hectares of vines that are classified as IGP. All the vineyards in Chateauneuf are farmed using sustainable, biodynamic farming techniques.

The best vintages of Domaine Raymond Usseglio are: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2001, 2000 and 1998.

Domaine Raymond Usseglio produces 3 red Chateauneuf du Pape wines and 3 white Chateauneuf du Pape wines.

Domaine Raymond Usseglio Chateauneuf du Pape – The blend varies, but it is often close to 75% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre, 5% Syrah, 3% Counoise and 2% Cinsault. The vines are in a myriad of different terroirs with rocks, stones, clay, sand, and limestone soil.

The vines are planted in l’Arnesque, Bois Senechaux, Cabrieres, Charbonnieres, Palestor, les Terres Blanches and the le Tresquoys, lieux-dits. The wine is aged in a combination of cement vats, foudres and a small amount French oak barrels for an average of 18 months. 3,500 cases are produced each year.

Domaine Raymond Usseglio Cuvee Imperiale – 95% old vine Grenache and 5% other varieties. The Grenache vines are more than 100 years old. They were planted in 1902. The terroir is sand with some rocks and stones in the soil.

The vines are planted in the Piallon, Grand Pierre and Girardette lieux-dits. The wine is vinified and then aged in cement vats for an average of 18 months prior to bottling. The production is on average only 250 cases per year. The wine was first produced in 1985.

Domaine Raymond Usseglio La Part des Anges – 70% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache and 10% Syrah create the blend. The terroir is rocks and sandy soils. The vines are planted in the le Mourre de Gaud and Les Terres Blanches vineyards.

The wine is aged in an average of 80%, French oak barrels and in tanks. The wine made its debut with the 2007 vintage. The production is quite small at close to 200 cases per vintage.

Domaine Raymond Usseglio Cuvee Girad is a special Cuvee produced for the American Importer, Weygandt-Metzler, which is an old vine, Grenache-dominated wine blended with Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Counoise.

Domaine Raymond Usseglio Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc – 40% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne, 20% Clairette and 10% Bourboulenc. Close to 900 cases are are produced each year.

Domaine Raymond Usseglio Reserve Roussanne – The 100% old vine Roussanne is vinified and aged in 100% new, French oak barrels. The vines are more than 40 years of age. The wine is not made in every vintage. And when it’s produced, not much is made as the average production is close to 90 cases.

Domaine Raymond Usseglio Reserve Pure is made from 100% Roussanne as the name implies. The vines were planted in 1985.

When to Drink Domaine Raymond Usseglio, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Domaine Raymond Usseglio can be enjoyed on the young side with 1 hour or a bit more of decanting. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.

Domaine Raymond Usseglio is usually better with 3-4 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage. In the best vintages, the wine should be consumed within 4-15 years after the vintage.

Serving Domaine Raymond Usseglio with Wine, Food Pairing Tips

Domaine Raymond Usseglio is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.

Domaine Raymond Usseglio is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, stewed dishes, sausage, grilled meats, barbecue, and cassoulet. Domaine Raymond Usseglio is also good with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, cheese, pasta, eggplant, and tomatoes.

The white wine of Domaine Raymond Usseglio is best served with a myriad of different seafood dishes, shellfish, crab, lobster, sushi, sashimi, chicken, pork, and veal, as well as Asian cuisine.

Domaine Raymond Usseglio also produces wine from 5 hectares of vines they own in the Cotes du Rhone appellation.

www.domaine-usseglio.fr