Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe, La Crau, Châteauneuf du Pape, France, 2018

Overview of the Wine
One cannot think of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the most celebrated cru of the Southern Rhône, without thinking of Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe. The Brunier family is legendary in its own right, having been rooted to the enigmatic plateau known as “La Crau” for over one hundred years. The wines of Vieux Télégraphe evoke the concept of terroir in its purest form: they reflect their dramatic climate, the rough terrain that defines the soil, their full sun exposure at a higher altitude, the typicity of the varietals with an emphasis on Grenache, and of course, the influence of their caretakers, the Brunier family. For many, La Crau is Chateauneuf-du-Pape’s grandest cru.

The AOC for Chateauneuf-du-Pape is in the Rhone Valley stretching from Orange to Avignon. Domaine Vieux Telegraphe was founded in 1895, and takes it name Vieux Telegraphe (Old Telegraph) from a rocky plateau of the Domaine where in 1792 Me. Chappe, the inventor of the optical telegraph, installed a relay tower.

Grape / Blend
60% to 65% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre and 15% Syrah

Origin
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
The 2018 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau is a classic red Châteauneuf-du-Pape, very fine and elegant. The best vintages will age for 25 years and more.

Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2022!

96 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The final blend of the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape La Crau will include 60% to 65% Grenache, 15% each Mourvèdre and Syrah, with the remainder Cinsault. Boasting complex scents of roses, black tea, raspberries and cherries on the nose, it follows that up with a full-bodied palate that's silky and airy in texture yet flavorful and tremendously long on the finish. It fits perfectly with the Brunier's stated goal of pursuing elegance.

96 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
The grand vin is the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape. It's an elegant version of this cuvée, offering beautiful blueberry, raspberry, crushed violet, graphite, and crushed rock-like minerality. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and balanced, it’s polished and seamless, yet has plenty of tannins as well as richness, and is going to evolve beautifully.

94 Points - Wine & Spirits
The Bruniers have specialized in wines from La Crau, a lieu-dit in the northeast of the appellation, since 1898, when Hippolyte Brunier began building a name for his wines. The high elevation and the limestone-rich, galetcovered soils make for some of the appellation’s most elegant wines, their rich red fruit balanced by brisk acidity. The 2018 channels a bright, fresh feeling right from the start, with lots of floral spice moderating the sweet red-cherry flavor. There’s plenty of depth there, too, with earth notes that bring to mind roasted game, as well as forest floor and fresh button mushrooms. But it’s the brightness and freshness that make this so compelling, and so readily drinkable, especially if there are some lamb chops around.

93 Points - James Suckling
This has a lot of red fruit, a lot of personality and a lot of brambly aromas with spicy nuances, too. The palate has a very smooth build and a deep, plum and red-fruit core, framed in long, noble and rich, ripe tannins. The immediate fleshy appeal is high. Wait for the rest.

Product size: 750ml