2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Cuvée Impériale, Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils, Rhône

Very dark. Smooth and sinewy and quite polished. A very distinct style, halfway up the Rhône Valley towards Hermitage. Cool finish. You takes your money... Hint of leather. But very dry on the finish. jancis_robinson_mw MW, JancisRobinson.com (September 2011)

Glass-staining purple. Heady scents of spice- and floral-accented dark berries, cherry-vanilla, anise and incense, along with a smoky topnote. Lush and seamless on the palate, offering palate-staining blackberry, blueberry and floral pastille flavors. Silky tannins build on the endless finish, which leaves behind notes of blue fruit preserves, licorice and smoky Indian spices. Velvety tannins come on late but are quickly absorbed by this wine's lush, deeply concentrated fruit. Josh Reynolds, Vinous.com.com (January 2014)

A thrillingly complete wine, the 2010 Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Imperiale is a field blend of roughly 90% Grenache, 5% Mourvedre, 3% Syrah, and 2% Cinsault that comes from vines planted in 1902. Aged all in concrete tank, it offers up a spectacular bouquet of blackberry liqueur, graphite, licorice, lavender, and pepper that flows to a full-bodied, rich, yet elegantly styled palate. This is not over the top in any way and possesses a layered, silky texture, fabulous concentration, juicy acidity, and finely polished tannin that frames the finish. It should be given 4-6 years of bottle age, and then consumed over the following two decades. jeb_dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com (September 2012)

A candidate for perfection, the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Imperiale Vignes Centenaire is clearly the greatest wine I have ever tasted from Raymond Usseglio, even eclipsing their remarkable 2007. Don’t be surprised if it merits a three-digit score in five or six years. Somewhat closed, but bursting with potential, the wine is inky/purple to the rim and boasts abundant amounts of concentrated, jammy blackberry, kirsch, licorice, lavender, forest floor, white chocolate and a hint of truffles in its magnificent perfume. Some tannins appear in the mouth, but there is no doubting the luxurious concentration, multidimensional mouthfeel, full-bodied texture, enormous extract and richness, and nearly endless finish. This monumental Chateauneuf du Pape needs to be forgotten for 4-5 years and consumed over the following 2-3 decades. robert_parker, Wine Advocate (October 2012)

Very dark. Smooth and sinewy and quite polished. A very distinct style, halfway up the Rhône Valley towards Hermitage. Cool finish. You takes your money... Hint of leather. But very dry on the finish. jancis_robinson_mw - JancisRobinson.com - 20-Dec-2011

Dark and ripe, with very friendly raspberry ganache, blackberry coulis and melted licorice notes that carry through the broad, fleshy finish. Densely layered and not shy with its fruit-driven profile, but there's more than enough graphite-edged grip to keep this honest. Should mellow nicely in the cellar. Best from 2014 through 2025. james_molesworth - Wine Spectator - 2013

The profound 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Imperiale-Vigne Centenaires (made from the same blend as the 2009) is stunning. Dense purple to the rim with an extraordinary perfume of blackberries, black cherry liqueur, licorice and lavender, it exhibits fabulous fruit intensity, a multidimensional, full-bodied texture, sweet tannin, good acidity and a 60+ second finish. Given the acid profile of the 2010s as well as this wine’s abundant tannin, it will need 6-8 years of cellaring, and should keep for 25-30+ years. (robert_parker - Wine Advocate - Oct 2011)