Usseglio/Raymond Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Impériale 2023

98 points Stuart Pigott (JamesSuckling.com): "What a great 2023 Chateauneuf-du-Pape this is. Enormously deep and concentrated but also refined, with a slew of floral aromas alongside perfectly ripe red fruit. Then comes the breathtaking finish in which structure and delicacy are precisely matched, and it just doesn’t want to stop. 92% grenache from vines planted in 1901 and 1902, with a small amount of white grape varieties inter-planted. Matured exclusively in concrete tanks. Bottled unfiltered. Drinkable now, but best from 2026. (8/9/25)"

94-96 points Jeb Dunnuck: "[$106 list] Based on 95% Grenache and the rest a mix of varieties, the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Impériale is slight darker in color and in style. Ripe blackberries, peppery garrigue, spice, and sappy, floral notes all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a pure, elegant mouthfeel, ripe and building tannins, and a great finish. It's not massive but is very much in the ripe yet elegant style of the vintage. (10/29/24)"

94 points Yohan Castaing (Wine Advocate): "Mainly Grenache Noir (95%), complemented by other permitted varieties, the 2023 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Imperiale is superb, opening with a complex, spicy bouquet of dark cherries, rose, violet and licorice. Medium- to full-bodied, concentrated and layered, it delivers a fleshy core of fruit framed by fine-grained tannins, concluding with a long, energetic finish. Vinification and élevage took place entirely in concrete tanks. Drink: 2025-2040. (10/16/25)"