2017 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau”
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe
If price were no object and you were looking for a single wine that represents a sense of place, is consistently delicious year in and year out, and can be opened now or cellared for ten years, I’d recommend this one hands down. I did say if price were no object. Which, when considering all the many famous wines that are much pricier, means that you’ve got a real bargain here. It’s a gem, and you won’t be disappointed.
—Emily Spillmann
| Wine Type: | red |
| Vintage: | 2017 |
| 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: | Organic (practicing) |
| Alcohol: | 14.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Télégramme”
France | Southern Rhône
This unfiltered bottling from the 2021 vintage is one of the best editions to date.
2021 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.
2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” HALF BOTTLE
France | Southern Rhône
It’s a gem, and you won’t be disappointed.
2019 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 to be enjoyed this winter.
Huile d’Olive Vierge Extra
France | Southern Rhône
Full-bodied yet delicate, infused with the joie de vivre of the south of France.
2018 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” MAGNUM
France | Southern Rhône
Nothing says “life of the party” like a magnum of our best Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It is the perfect pairing for your holiday roast!
2022 Tavel Rosé
France | Southern Rhône
Stony, spicy, and dense, it evokes red berries, watermelon, and garrigue and offers a beautiful accompaniment to a wide range of dishes.
2020 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 Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
France | Southern Rhône
This lovely Muscat is full of fresh honeysuckle and ripe citrus fruit. Have an ice cream maker? This wine makes the best sorbet you’ll ever taste!
2022 Beaumes-de-Venise Rouge
France | Southern Rhône
April Club Gourmand ~ Grenache is joined by Syrah and a drop of Mourvèdre to create this delightful everyday red scented with herbes de Provence and ripe black cherry.
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
2021 Gigondas “Terrasse du Diable”
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône
2021 Vacqueyras “Un Sang Blanc”
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2022 Beaumes-de-Venise Rouge
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône
NV Clairette de Die Brut
Achard-Vincent France | Southern Rhône
2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Piedlong”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc “Clos la Roquète”
Frédéric & Daniel Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2022 Vin de France Rosé “Au Petit Bonheur”
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône
Huile d’Olive Vierge Extra
Vieux Télégraphe France | Southern Rhône
2022 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Rouge
Selected by Kermit Lynch France | Southern Rhône
2022 Côtes-du-Rhône “La Sagesse”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2016 Cairanne
Domaine Catherine Le Gœuil France | Southern Rhône
2022 Ventoux Rouge “Mégaphone”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2021 Gigondas “Terrasse du Diable”
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône
2021 Vacqueyras “Un Sang Blanc”
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2022 Beaumes-de-Venise Rouge
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône
NV Clairette de Die Brut
Achard-Vincent France | Southern Rhône
2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Piedlong”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc “Clos la Roquète”
Frédéric & Daniel Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2022 Vin de France Rosé “Au Petit Bonheur”
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône
Huile d’Olive Vierge Extra
Vieux Télégraphe France | Southern Rhône
2022 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Rouge
Selected by Kermit Lynch France | Southern Rhône
2022 Côtes-du-Rhône “La Sagesse”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2016 Cairanne
Domaine Catherine Le Gœuil France | Southern Rhône
2022 Ventoux Rouge “Mégaphone”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
Where the newsletter started
Where the newsletter started
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch