2022 Usseglio Chateauneuf du Pape Les Apotres

"Named after the 13 Apostles, symbolic of the 13 permitted Châteauneuf grape varieties in this wine. The grape varieties are harvested one after the other, each at its perfect time. A maceration begins with the first grapes, then all the grape varieties are gradually added until the last, which is approximately five weeks later. The whole grape macerates for almost three months in a large clay amphora, where the aging also takes place. Highly intense, dark red fruit bursts from the glass with enormously concentrated, Mediterranean intensity. The palate is a dream of silkiness, with cherry liqueur, sweet cherry, crushed strawberry, dark chocolate, and delicate caramel, which, surprisingly, can't be coming from the wood. Endless masses of tannin push their way through the finish, captivating the tongue, but it's so incredibly polished, fine, Burgundian, and salty. The interplay of all the grape varieties is truly fascinating, like an orchestra, each variety contributing its quality, and the final result is a work so silky, so polished, and harmonious. The wine never stops at the end: salt, tannin, dark cherry, everything keeps rolling up. Almost a Richebourg in its interpretation, a breathtaking wine. Impressive when young, but surely a dimension better in 10 years, once it has digested this immense structure."

"The fifth iteration of this cuvée, the 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Apotres features a co-fermentation of the 13 authorized varieties that undergo a lengthy 120-day maceration. It reveals a dense, vibrant bouquet of cassis, mulberries, dark cherries, licorice, lead pencil, tapenade, garrigue and spices. Full-bodied, dense and rich with an enveloping texture, it's seamless and perfectly balanced with a sappy, fleshy core of fruit that segues into a dense, long and endless finish, establishing its preeminence among the domaine’s offerings. This is a cuvée that invariably benefits from extended cellaring." Drink 2034 - 2054

“The pinnacle of the winery’s offerings is the Apôtres, which has been produced only in select years. The 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Apôtres is a stunner. This is only the fourth time Stéphane Usseglio made this cuvée, a co-fermentation of 13 different grapes with amphora-aging. Three months of skin contact post fermentation resulted in concentrated red and black fruits, crushed violets, licorice and pencil shaving traces. The 2022 Apôtres stands out for its concentration and complexity, balanced by exceptional tension. Despite all the substance, the 2022 is surprisingly agile and bursts with energy and freshness. A savory and elongated finish rounds it all up. Tasted twice with consistent notes. Drink 2026-2042”