Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau Rouge 2020
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Rouge is a classic red Châteauneuf-du-Pape, very fine and elegant. Bright and uplifting fruit aromas that also manage to be ripe. The dry and full-bodied palate has a luscious texture, juicy acidity and silky tannins. A character that is full of strawberry and raspberry flavours, with notes of pepper, capsicum and earthy mushroom.
70% Grenache Noir, 15% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah. The fruit comes from vines with an average age of 70 years. These vines grow in vineyards on the stony Plateau de la Crau, in the south-east of the appellation, where the villages of Bédarrides, Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Courthézon meet. The vineyard has a soil composition of molasse sitting on a thick layer of clay with high stone content, and covered by the pebble blanket of Alpine diluvium.
The fruit goes through hand-picking, double sorting at the vine, then a third sorting at the winery. After a gentle pressing and selective destemming, 30–40 days of traditional fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel and wooden vats. Pneumatic pressing, then systematic malolactic fermentation. The wine then ages for 20–22 months in French oak foudres (60 hl). Bottling without fining or filtering. Release only after 2 years of bottle ageing.
Ageing potential: will age for 25 years or more!