The 2020 Pierre Usseglio Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Deux Freres is a proprietary blend predominantly composed of Grenache with a small addition of very old vine Serine Syrah from Charbonniere. Produced by Pierre Usseglio in the Southern Rhone region of France, this red wine is sealed with a cork and contains 16.0% alcohol by volume.
Jeb Dunnuck from jebdunnuck.com awards the wine an impressive 97 points, praising its "killer nose of blackberries, cassis, spicy wood, graphite, and ground pepper, among other Provençal nuances." Dunnuck describes the wine as "pure, full-bodied, and flawlessly balanced," noting its "building yet perfectly ripe tannins" and the vintage’s "more elegant, streamlined style." He anticipates that the wine will benefit from a few years of bottle age and has the potential to age gracefully for 15 to 20 years.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate also rates the 2020 vintage highly, with a score range of 95-97 points. The review, authored by JC, highlights the wine's "scents of cedar, dried spices and black cherries." JC notes that while he typically does not favor maturing Grenache in small-format new oak vessels, it works well in this instance, resulting in a "dessert-rich, yet savory and not overbearing" wine. The wine is described as full-bodied, rich, and plush, with a "soft, almost pillowy impression on the palate" and a long, velvety finish.
Vinous gives the wine a solid 95 points, with Nicolas Greinacher explaining that the 2020 vintage is composed of grapes from the Pignan and Les Esquirons plots. Greinacher mentions that the wine aged for 18 months in a mix of new and old French oak barriques. He describes the wine as full-bodied, deep, and layered, with "expressive aromas of very ripe red and black fruits intermingled with hints of dried herbs, mint, cloves, wood smoke, licorice, and a pinch of vanilla." The review notes a touch of heat on the savory finish and advises regular buyers that there will be no Réserve des Deux Frères in 2021.
Overall, the 2020 Pierre Usseglio Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Deux Freres is highly praised for its complexity, balance, and aging potential, making it a standout wine from the Southern Rhone region.