2017 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Télégramme Chateauneuf-du-Pape 750 ml

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Télégramme 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 yet another extraordinary vintage—Châteauneuf-du-Pape is on a serious roll—the results are simply stunning. 

For fans of bold, cellar-worthy reds in general, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape specifically, this is your lucky day—but you have to act fast. We have just 25 cases of this 93-point jewel, which James Suckling simply called, “Great Grenache,” adding, “The shape is refined and taut through the palate. Some airy, fleshy lightness here with plush, fine and dense tannins. Finishes fresh with red fruit.” Behaving much like its big brother, the $90 Vieux Télégraphe, this is arguably the best second wine in all of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and one of the greatest values in the entire Rhône. 

Scarcity, sky-high quality, structure, and age-worthiness are the hallmarks of the 2017 vintage in the Southern Rhône, and Télégramme exemplifies it perfectly. In its annual report, Decanter summed up the vintage writing, “Good things come in small quantities.” Yields were down as much as 50% due to coulure (failure of the fruit to form after flowering) caused by a cold snap in spring, but the rest of the season was smooth sailing, allowing the small quantities of Grenache to ripen beautifully. Thick skins and ripe stems resulted in muscular wines built for the long haul, while vibrant freshness and bold fruit make them almost irresistible now. 

Télégraphe’s Télégramme is a Grenache-forward blend that’s at once complex and composed, brimming with a stunning concentration of wild, red-berry flavor. Like Suckling, Jeb Dunnuck was not shy in praising the 2017, calling it “a terrific introduction into the wines of this estate as well as an outstanding wine.” 

The unparalleled terroir here is steeped in history, and the best place to take it all in is from the estate’s 18th century telegraph tower that gives this estate its name. On a scorching day last summer we climbed three flights of rickety stairs to get to the top. From there you can see the slope of La Crau, one of the world’s greatest vineyards and the source of Télégramme's brilliance.

The vineyard itself 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 vintage come together in today’s offer, a rare combination that, if history is any indication, will result in a record-fast sell-out.