2015 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Telegramme Chateauneuf-du-Pape 750 ml

97-point Vintage’s Châteauneuf Richness

Of incredible wines that hail from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, only a handful of producers in the Southern Rhône’s most regal appellation have achieved the worldwide acclaim and name recognition of Médoc grands crus: Beaucastel. Rayas. And Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe, farmed and produced by the Brunier family since 1891. The 93-point 2015 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe “Télégramme” is the second wine of the legendary Domaine, and “Télégramme” has evolved from its early days as a fruit-forward early-drinking Châteauneuf for those waiting for their grand vin to mature: Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate calls the 2015 Télégramme "one of the finer, more elegant and classy examples of the cuvée I can remember…more a mini Vieux Télégraphe at this point than the more fruit-forward Télégramme examples of the past.” Coming from a 2015 Rhône vintage that Wine Spectator rated 97 points, this rave should come as no surprise. Télégramme’s unmistakable reverse label turns heads in the stores and we are fortunate to have secured a slender 36-case allocation from legendary importer Kermit Lynch.

The Brunier family’s portfolio boasts some of the most noble wines of the Rhône Valley and throughout the South of France and some of the most storied terroirs. The celebrated galet-strewn lieu-dit of La Crau is the centerpiece of Vieux Télégraphe, while the younger plants on this famed plateau, coupled with older vines in surrounding vineyards provide the fruit for Télégramme.

The Grenache-dominant blend is destemmed and given an abbreviated version of the Vieux Télégraphe élevage, resting for seven months in oak foudres instead of the 20-22 months reserved for the Bruniers’ flagship wine. In a perfect vintage like 2015, the result is an over-delivering and complex Châteauneuf of gorgeous old-vine concentration and sun-baked richness, vinified for early enjoyment but vying to be taken as seriously as Châteauneuf’s heavy hitters.