Le Vieux Télégraphe "La Crau" 2021

A balanced and precise red wine from Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The estate

After more than 125 years of existence, the Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe is an emblem of the wines of the Rhône Valley. Named after one of the relay towers installed on the estate in 1821 by Claude Chappe, the inventor of the optical telegraph, the property has been run by the Brunier family for six generations. The Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe is located within the La Crau plateau, southeast of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. Of the 70 hectares that make up the Domaine, 65 are dedicated to red wines and 5 to white wines.

The vineyard

This Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine comes from a noble vineyard of 50 hectares with an average age of 70 years located on the famous La Crau plateau, southeast of the appellation. The vines are planted on a rare and unique warm terroir, which gives a particular expression to its wines whose minerality is proven thanks to soils composed of Miocene molasses (sandstone with clayey limestone cement) resting on a thick layer of clay loaded with pebbles, also called " rolled pebbles ".

Vinification and aging

After a manual harvest with double sorting in the vineyard followed by a third sorting in the cellar, the grapes are lightly crushed, undergoing a new selective destemming. Fermentation then takes place over a long period, ranging from 25 to 40 days in stainless steel tanks and wooden vats. The wine is then aged for 20 to 22 months in French oak foudres of 60 hectoliters.

Blend

Grenache, mourvèdre, syrah then cinsault, clairette and various other local grape varieties.

Characteristics and tasting advice for Vieux Télégraphe 2021

Tasting

Nose
Refined and nuanced, the nose opens up to a beautiful aromatic complexity, where delicate floral notes, blackberry aromas and touches of warm spices mingle.

Palate
Balanced and precise, the palate seduces with its silky tannins and elegant texture. The mineral structure, subtly saline, accompanies a beautiful fruity intensity that reflects all the richness of the Crau terroir.

Cellaring

Already promising, this classic wine from the appellation will gain in depth and reveal all its minerality after a few years of cellaring, ideally between 2025 and 2030.