Domaine Pierre Usseglio was founded in Chateauneuf-du-Pape by Pierre’s father, Francis in 1948. Pierre eventually took the reigns and, since 1999, his children have run the estate. The Domaine holds 15 small vineyard plots throughout the AOC, totaling 22 hectares. Only one of those hectares is planted to white grapes. The remainder, with a mix of rocky and sandy soils, represent approximately 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 6% Mourvedre, 5% Cinsault, 2% Counoise and 2% Muscardin. Domaine Pierre Usseglio makes three red wines and one white.

Cuvee de Mon Aieul is a selection of grapes from vines 75 to 90 years old. They come from plots on La Crau, les Bédines or les Serres, where the soils are sand and stone, covered in the regions famous galets. A pure and concentrated wine, the nose is very complex with notes of raspberries, licorice and spices. It is a powerful wine yet retains great elegance, and is at its best between 10 and 12 years of age.

The 2017 Pierre Usseglio Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is a notable red wine from the Southern Rhone region of France. This vintage is crafted exclusively from old vine Grenache, sourced from the famed locations of La Serres, La Crau, and La Guigasse. It is fermented with whole clusters and aged in used demi-muids, giving it a distinct character.

Jeb Dunnuck, who awarded it a high score of 97, describes the wine as "an extraordinary wine, offering a mammoth bouquet of kirsch liqueur, black raspberries, ground pepper, white flowers, and spice." He praises its full-bodied, concentrated nature and opulent palate, noting its "silky tannins." Dunnuck concludes that it’s "a magical, elegant, layered wine that does everything right."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, with a score of 94, highlights the intense nature of this wine, attributing its rich profile to the significantly reduced yields of only six hectoliters per hectare. Joe Czerwinski notes the presence of "licorice, chocolate and super ripe plums" on the nose, with a "full-bodied and velvety" palate and a "long, warm finish."

James Suckling, giving it a score of 93, underscores the wine's plush and ripe nature, pointing out the "rich dark fruit and earthy notes with plenty of spice" and "tarry notes." He describes the palate as having a "very plush, ripe and rich feel with juicy, ripe dark berries and plums, really bathed in deep, long and smooth-honed tannins."

Jeff Leve from The Wine Cellar Insider also praises this wine, awarding it a score of 96. He highlights the "black raspberries and garrigue in the nose" and the "full, lush, deep, spicy, opulent palate" with its "black raspberry, pepper, jam, licorice and herb filled character." Leve notes its "length, freshness, and complexity," predicting it will age well.

Wine Spectator, also scoring it 96, describes it as "lush and inviting," with "waves of warmed raspberry reduction" and "plum paste and cherry skin notes." They commend its "perfectly embedded acidity" and advise that while it is hard to resist now, it will continue to develop well into 2040.

Overall, the 2017 Pierre Usseglio Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is a complex and layered wine, praised for its intensity, richness, and aging potential.