2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau”
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe
There is probably no wine more identifiable to our company than VT, as most of us call it around here. Kermit calls it Vieux Télé. The quality and longevity of this noble Rhône red is so incredibly consistent that we almost take it for granted (stress on the almost). It is important to remember the heights that old-vine Grenache can reach when planted on these arid, stony plateaus in the shadows of Mount Ventoux. Brothers Daniel and Frédéric Brunier own one of the most enviable sites in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the magical moonscape of La Crau. Their terroir, their savoir-faire, and their steadfast adherence to tradition have kept these wines among the world’s best.
**Extremely limited quantities, limit two bottles per order**
—Dixon Brooke
| Wine Type: | red |
| Vintage: | 2009 |
| Bottle Size: | 750mL |
| Blend: | 65% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 15% Syrah, 5% (Cinsault, Clairette, et al) |
| Appellation: | Châteauneuf-du-Pape |
| Country: | France |
| Region: | Southern Rhône |
| Producer: | Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe |
| Winemaker: | Frédéric & Daniel Brunier |
| Vineyard: | 20 to 60 years |
| Soil: | Alluvial deposits, limestone, silica, and molasse (red clay) with galets roulés |
| Aging: | Wine rests in cuves for 10 months, and then ages for another 12 months in foudres, wine is bottled unfiltered, after 22 months of aging |
| Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
| Alcohol: | 14.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2023 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Blanc “Le Pigeoulet”
France | Southern Rhône
The blend is equal parts Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, and Clairette. Together, they create a wine that has a complex mouth-feel that finishes with a nice refreshing acidity.
2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc “La Crau”
France | Southern Rhône
Clairette, an unsung hero of the south, is the main grape here, undoubtedly one of many key elements to this singular wine.
Huile d’Olive Vierge Extra
| Southern Rhône
Full-bodied yet delicate, infused with the joie de vivre of the south of France.
2011 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” HALF BOTTLE
France | Southern Rhône
It’s a gem, and you won’t be disappointed.
2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” HALF BOTTLE
France | Southern Rhône
It’s a gem, and you won’t be disappointed.
2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Télégramme”
France | Southern Rhône
If Télégramme is more about fruit than stones, it is still undeniably Châteauneuf, expressing the nobility of carefully farmed Grenache from the Rhône’s finest terroirs.
2023 Côtes-du-Rhône “Sierra du Sud”
France | Southern Rhône
A pure Syrah bottling offering wild flavors of the Provençal countryside gently wrapped in a thick coat of tooth-staining deep purple fruit.
2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau”
France | Southern Rhône
The majesty of the La Crau vineyard is encapsulated in this wine. I can't think of a grander expression of Southern Rhone terroir.
2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” MAGNUM
France | Southern Rhône
It is important to remember the heights that old-vine Grenache can reach when planted on arid, stony plateaus in the shadows of Mount Ventoux.
About The Producer
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe
One cannot think of Châteauneuf-du-Pape without thinking of Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe. The Brunier family is legendary in its own right, having been rooted to the plateau known as La Crau for over a century. The wines of Vieux Télégraphe evoke terroir in its purest form, reflecting the dramatic climate, the rough terrain, the sun exposure at a high altitude, the typicity of the varietals, and of course, the influence of their caretakers, the Brunier family. For many, La Crau is Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s grandest cru. The wines of V.T. are classic, displaying strength, rusticity, and tremendous longevity. Their goal is to find a harmony between aromatic complexity, tannic structure, and richness, which they achieve year after year.
More from Southern Rhône or France
2022 Vacqueyras Rouge “Cuvée de Lopy”
Domaine le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2022 Tavel Rosé HALF BOTTLE
Trinquevedel France | Southern Rhône
2022 Côtes-du-Rhône “La Sagesse”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2021 Gigondas “Terrasse du Diable” MAGNUM
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône
2021 Côtes-du-Rhône “La Papesse”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2023 Vacqueyras Rouge “ Doucinello”
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2013 Gigondas “Les Racines”
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône
2022 Gigondas “Racines”
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône
2023 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Rouge “Le Pigeoulet”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Télégramme”
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe France | Southern Rhône
2007 Gigondas “Terrasse du Diable”
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône
2022 Vacqueyras Rouge “Floureto” MAGNUM
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2022 Vacqueyras Rouge “Cuvée de Lopy”
Domaine le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2022 Tavel Rosé HALF BOTTLE
Trinquevedel France | Southern Rhône
2022 Côtes-du-Rhône “La Sagesse”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2021 Gigondas “Terrasse du Diable” MAGNUM
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône
2021 Côtes-du-Rhône “La Papesse”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2023 Vacqueyras Rouge “ Doucinello”
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2013 Gigondas “Les Racines”
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône
2022 Gigondas “Racines”
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône
2023 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Rouge “Le Pigeoulet”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Télégramme”
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe France | Southern Rhône
2007 Gigondas “Terrasse du Diable”
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône
2022 Vacqueyras Rouge “Floureto” MAGNUM
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
For the wines that I buy I insist that the winemaker leave them whole, intact. I go into the cellars now and select specific barrels or cuvées, and I request that they be bottled without stripping them with filters or other devices. This means that many of our wines will arrive with a smudge of sediment and will throw a more important deposit as time goes by, It also means the wine will taste better.