The domaine owns six hectares in Lirac, with 50-year-old vines planted on clay and sand. A blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 10% Cinsault, Usseglio's 2019 Lirac delivers bold notes of purple raspberries and stone fruit, but it comes across as slightly rough and rustic next to the polish of the estate's Chateauneufs. Medium to full-bodied, it's matured in a mix of tanks and demi-muids.

A bit more serious than the vin de France, Usseglio's 2018 Lirac offers up scents of dusty cherries and dried spices. A blend of 50% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault, it's full-bodied and silky on the palate, finishing clean and fresh. Drink it on release and over the next 5-6 years.

The 2017 Lirac has firmed up during its élevage and now comes across as a sturdy, solidly built wine loaded with notes of plum, cola and spice. It's full-bodied, finishing warm and velvety. It's about 50% Grenache and was aged in a mix of wood and concrete.

Dark, plummy and rich, Usseglio's full-bodied 2016 Lirac has turned out as well as I hoped when I tasted it last year. It's creamy and lush, yet it shows no heat or dried fruit, just plush, hedonistic pleasure. It's a blend of 70% Grenache and 10% each Cinsault, Mourvèdre and Syrah, aged 12 months in concrete vats (50%) and oak demi-muids (50%).

Half of the 2015 Lirac spent a year in demi-muids, the other half in concrete. Super aromas of raspberries, dried spices and cola leap from the glass, followed by a full-bodied, richly textured palate. Despite the hefty tannins, they're ripe and velvety on the mouthwatering finish. It should drink well for up to 10 years.