2016 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Telegramme Chateauneuf-du-Pape 750 ml

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Telegramme Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The name alone inspires awe among even the most cynical sommeliers and critics. The stone-strewn vineyard, perched atop  Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s Crau plateau, has been coaxing complex wines from its ancient vines since the 19th century, and when that expertise combines with the vintage of the century—as it did in the 2016 vintage Wine Spectator called “stellar”—the results are simply stunning. 

For fans of bold, cellar-worthy reds in general, Châteauneuf-du-Pape specifically, this is your lucky day—but you have to act fast. We have just a few bottles of this 96-point icon, which is truly a best in class on two counts: vintage and category.  

Wine Spectator rated the 2016 vintage an astounding 99-points, declaring it to be a “truly rare vintage” and “a new benchmark.” The growing season during 2016 was picture-perfect: warm during the day, but cool at night, an ideal diurnal swing for growing grapes that slowly ripen just enough to encourage full flavor development, while still maintaining the elegance and finesse for which the Southern Rhône is celebrated. 

Télégraphe’s “Telegramme” is the estate’s Grenache-forward second wine, a blend that’s at once complex and composed, brimming with a stunning concentration of wild, red-berry flavor, with a plush palate and a smooth, rich finished powered by tannins that provide additional depth. James Suckling applauded the wine’s “bright aromas of wild, red-berries and herbs,” and “long, smooth, ripe and powerful tannins,” in his glowing 96-point review. Parker’s Wine Advocate piled onto the ‘16’s mountain of praise, calling this release “harmonious and graceful.” The Brunier family’s time-tested vinification methods make the Telegramme an instant classic that’s delicious, and worthy of cellaring for years to come. 

Reds from vintages like this—which often arrive once a decade or less—are racy, yet fresh. Brimming with energy, but restrained. A taste of 2016’s Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Telegramme confirms the idyllic picture that the combination of weather and the crème-de-la-crème of terroirs paints. 

The unparalleled terroir is also steeped in history. The sunny vineyard faces the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which translates literally to The Pope’s New Castle. The town earned its name several centuries after Pope Clément V relocated the papal court to Avignon in 1308; a great lover of Burgundy, he insisted that vines be planted. Since then, the reputation of the region’s wines has grown with each passing year, but a few producers not only stand out, but have managed to achieve household-name recognition.

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe, farmed and produced by the Brunier family since 1891, is one of them. For many, the wines of Vieux Télégraphe, with their perfect reflection of the appellation’s incandescent terroir, are Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s grandest cru. The sense of place, history, and perfect climactic conditions come together in today’s offer, a rare combination that, if history is any indication, will result in a record-fast sell-out.