A new baby in the Raymond Usseglio portfolio is the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee des Anges, a blend of 60% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache, and 20% Syrah from parcels he has planted on limestone and sandy soils. This is a meaty, black fruit-dominated wine with some smoky earthy root vegetables intermixed with plenty of cassis, blackberry, plum, and even a hint of fig. It is a more modern-styled wine by the standards of Usseglio, and I wouldn’t be surprised if some new barriques were thrown in here, although I didn’t really smell any oak. I just had the sense that this is a different animal than the other wines, but that could just be the very high percentage of Mourvedre. In any event, this looks set for a long life, and should age nicely for 20-25+ years.This staunch traditionalist, who ages everything in old barrels for 16 to 18 months, has turned out absolutely sensational 2007s, and his 2006s are certainly among the strongest wines of the vintage.Importer: Peter Weygandt, Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800

I suspect there will be mixed reactions to the limited production 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape La Parte des Anges. A blend of 70% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, and 10% Syrah aged 100% in small barrels (only a subtle hint of oak is present), this classic, pure wine displays plenty of texture, but it is firm and in need of additional bottle age. Fresh and full-bodied, it offers hints of mushrooms, tree bark, blueberries, and charcoal. This impressive, modern-styled wine still seems classic in the scheme of Chateauneuf du Pape. Give it 2-3 years of bottle age and drink it over the following two decades.The name -Usseglio- is well-known in Chateauneuf du Pape as the Usseglio family immigrated from Italy during the Great Depression. There are two top domaines named Usseglio, that of Raymond and Pierre Usseglio. The Raymond Usseglio estate is now being run by Stephane Usseglio, who has introduced a new Mourvedre-based cuvee called La Parte des Anges (reviewed here and called Reserve des Anges in last year's report). The 2008s are very good for the vintage, but the 2007s are the finest wines I have tasted at Raymond Usseglio since their 1998s, and these may even eclipse them.Importer: Peter Weygandt, Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800