2015 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape 750 ml

Consensus is rare in the wine world, but there is general agreement that there’s no greater standard-bearer than Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe when it comes to the definitive expression of classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The grapes are harvested from the famed lieu-dit of “La Crau,” where the 60-year-old vines push through layers of round, heavy galets roulé to reach the red clay molasse beneath. I spent an entire day tasting this 2015 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe from one bottle, utterly mesmerized by the way it kept changing in the glass — powerful, linear, and layered, eventually revealing classic garrigue, leather, and black olive notes. Later, its texture smoothed, and gave way to dried florals and fruit, espresso bean, cedar and milk chocolate. From an extraordinary Rhône vintage, it delivers the best of both worlds: generous now, but is built to last and will only get better and better with age. Just $79.99 per bottle for the pinnacle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Secure your allocation now. ​

We taste around 75 wines every week, so by necessity, we usually taste a wine and move on to the next quickly. But there are exceptions, like when I brought in a bottle of this 2015 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape. First tasted in the morning, I kept a glass on my desk all day, taking a sip every now and then to observe its evolution. As the day went on, the powerful, linear and layered wine expanded in the glass, filling it with aromas of garrigue, leather, and black olive — all marvelous expressions of the land that has been farmed by the Brunier family since 1898.

Brothers Frédéric and Daniel are in charge of Vieux Télégraphe today, and they’ll tell you that 2015 was a stellar year in the Southern Rhone, and especially for Vieux Telegraphe — with its 95- and 96-point scores from Wine Spectator and James Suckling — is a bellwether of that fantastic vintage.

But coming back to this wine again and again throughout the day revealed more to me than any score could: It was like watching an accelerated and extremely graceful evolution. When I first tasted it at about 10:00 a.m., it was ripe and dense, dominated with sun-baked Grenache. By the time I poured it for Matt Deller MW,  Adam Lapierre MW, and Sur Lucero MS during our judging panel, the Vieux Télégraphe had been given the equivalent of a long decant. Its aromatics were expanding, and the garrigue and savory notes were emerging beautifully. This is why I am deeply in love with this Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Because it packs as much power as any other wine in France, without sacrificing an iota of complexity, minerality, or intrigue. And the finest get better and better, hours after the cork has been pulled.

At the end of our long tasting session, I took the bottle home and finished the last glass with some pâté de campagne from Oakville Grocery. After ten hours exposed to the air, it was completely smoothed out, showing a little more dried fruit, coffee grounds, cedar and milk chocolate. Still vibrant at the core, the softness it was now displaying reminded me of the perfectly-aged 2007 Vieux Télégraphe that I had tasted over the holidays. This is truly a wine that will reward you in spades if you cellar it for a decade or more. Or if you drink it young, decant it, and watch it give and give until it’s gone.

I invite you to secure your share now.

Vanessa Conlin DipWSET

Wine & Spirit Education Trust Diploma

Stage 2 Master of Wine Student