The early bottled 2015 Panorama VDF is a blend of Marselan, Merlot, Grenache and Syrah that comes from vines bordering the southern end of Chateauneuf du Pape and was aged all in concrete. It’s a charming, delicious picnic wine that gives up plenty of charm in its sweet raspberry and cherry fruits, garrigue and floral aromas and flavors.

Starting with their VDP release and a blend of Marsalan, Merlot, Grenache and Syrah, the 2014 Panorama VDP is a delicious, fruity and bistro-styled effort that offers lots of tobacco, currants, and herbal aromas and flavors. It has plenty of character and is ideal for mid-week drinking over the coming year or so.

Coming from vineyards located along the Rh?ne River and a blend of Marselan, Merlot and Grenache, the 2013 Panorama VDP has plenty of peppery dark fruits in its medium-bodied, quaffable profile. It's a delicious, easy-drinking effort to enjoy over the coming couple of years.

The 2011 Panorama, the Usseglios’ least expensive cuvee, is only entitled to a Vin de France designation. A tank-aged, kitchen sink blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache and who knows what else, it is a straightforward, bistro-styled wine with lots of fruit, but not much complexity. Drink this enjoyable, pure red during its first year or so of life. This branch of the Usseglio family left their home in Italy following the Great Depression in 1929 to make a new start producing wine in southern France. This estate has been on “fire” qualitatively since 1998. The cellars of brothers Jean-Pierre and Thierry Usseglio, who own approximately 60 acres of vines, are located adjacent to the ruins of a pope’s palace on the northeastern side of the village. In top vintages, such as 2010, 2009 and 2007, three Chateauneuf du Pape cuvees are produced. These include a traditional cuvee, the old vine, tank- and foudre-aged Mon Aieul and the more modern-styled Reserve des Deux Freres. Lirac is on the acquisition list of many Chateauneuf du Pape proprietors for a number of reasons: (1) they live close by; (2)the terroir is not dissimilar from that of Chateauneuf du Pape; and (3) the land is relatively cheap. The 2010 Chateauneuf du Papes are superb. Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173

One of two values from the Usseglio family is their 2010 Panorama, which is 80% Merlot and 20% Syrah. This vin de table is one of the better ones I have tasted, with notes of mocha, black cherry jam, and white chocolate in a plump, corpulent, slightly one-dimensional but richly fruity style meant to drink over the next 2-3 years. One of the top estates in Chateauneuf du Pape is that of the two brothers Thierry and Jean-Pierre Usseglio. Their cellars are just north of the village, adjacent to the walls of the ruins of the pope’s palace. They have nearly 60 acres under vine, and make three cuvees of red wines in the top vintages. Their classic or traditional cuvee is made from a blend of mostly Grenache, with some Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvedre. Their mostly unoaked, tank-fermented and -aged Mon Aieul comes from very old vines (about 85 years of age) and tiny yields, while their cuvee Des Deux Freres leans in a slightly more modern direction for Chateauneuf du Pape, with 50% of it now aged in small barrels, 20% in tank, and 30% in 600-liter demi-muids. Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173