Raymond Usseglio, Les Claux Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2021

93 points James Suckling
"I love the precise balance of full southerly ripeness with a touch of northerly freshness. Stacks of fully ripe red fruit aromas and remarkably fine tannins for this appellation make this stand out in the crowd. Long, complex, spicy finish. A cuvee of grenache, mourvedre and syrah. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold."

*** John Livingstone-Learmonth
"(Sample from concrete vat) steady level red robe; the nose has a southern, friendly, black olives aroma, with a black fruit jam core. The palate bears well judged richness, ticks over until accelerating well and strikingly into the finish, has gusto that marks it out in 2021. This has character, and is authentic, sparked, a very good STGT (Soil To Glass Transfer) Côtes, a real traveller. It’s on top of its tannins, a definite merit in 2021. 14°. From mid-2023. drink until 2033-35"

Vinous Reverie Notes
Domaine Raymond Usseglio finds its roots in the initiative of Raymond Usseglio, who founded it in 1963. However, Domaine's history dates back to 1931, when Francis Usseglio left his native Piedmont to settle in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. After more than fifteen years of working in the fields, in 1948 he succeeded in operating a sharecropping farm with his vines, and produced his first wine in 1949. The year 1962 marked a significant turning point, with the planting of the first vines in Francis's name on the Terres Blanches terroir, now one of the most emblematic of the Domaine. Near these plots, in 1963, Raymond with his wife Danielle, took up the torch from his father and founded the Domaine Raymond Usseglio.
At Domaine Usseglio Raymond et Fils, they advocate freedom of expression and the quest for the pure expression of our terroir. Each bottle has its own identity, telling a unique story, demonstrating our commitment to authenticity and differentiation. Cuvee Les Claux rouge is a Cotes-du-Rhone red wine, produced using a famous trilogy of G-S-M grape varieties (60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre), is distinguished by its remarkable richness and beautiful concentration. Combining fruitiness and balance, this wine comes exclusively from the unique plot called “Les Claux” on the left bank of the Rhone.