Taste Profile
Notes: Plum, Cherries Pepper
Body: Full
Dryness: Very Dry
Acidity: Medium
Tannin: Medium
Alcohol (%):
Winemaking
Origin: Rhone Valley, France
Maker: Vieux Télégraphe
Grape:
Fermentation: Natural Heavy Wood
Awards:
Serving Recommendations
Decanting:
Asian Food Pairing:
Western Food Pairing: Cassoulet, Goulash, Roasted pork belly polpette with polenta tomato sauce.
Description
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Télégramme CDP 2020
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Télégramme CDP is the second wine of this top Châteauneuf producer. Noble and charming, an unquestionably outstanding wine. Deep ruby colour with purple highlights. Strawberry, raspberry and bramble fruit with notes of violets, ground pepper spice and herbs fill the nose. Grenache dominates the dry and full-bodied palate, which is effortlessly balanced by a juicy acidity, ripe tannins and roundness. Smooth cherry, plum and red fruit core flavours with a distinctive minerality and layers of pepper, leather and herbs.
80% Grenache Noir, 10% Syrah, 6% Mourvèdre and 4% Cinsault. The fruit comes from vines with an average age of 40 years. These vines grow in vineyards on the Plateau de 'La Crau' and also in other lieux-dits.
The fruit goes through hand-picking, double sorting at the vine, then a third sorting at the winery. After destemming, 25–30 days of traditional fermentation in temperature-controlled vats. Pneumatic pressing, then systematic malolactic fermentation. The wine then ages for 15–16 months in French oak foudres (30–60 hl). Bottling without fining or filtering. Release only after 18 months of bottle ageing.
14.5%
What else have we got from the same domaine? Check them out here.
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
This has a lot of red fruit, a lot of personality and a lot of brambly aromas with spicy nuances, too. The palate has a very smooth build and a deep, plum and red-fruit core, framed in long, noble and rich, ripe tannins. The immediate fleshy appeal is high. Wait for the rest. Try from 2022.
- 90 POINTS The quality of the entry-level cuvée from this estate has soared over the past decade and the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Télégramme is unquestionably an outstanding wine. Revealing a deep ruby/purple color as well as Provençal notes of spiced blue fruits, ground pepper, garrigue, and violets, it has medium to full-bodied richness, plenty of mid-palate depth (which can be lacking in a number of 2018s), notable balance, and just a delicious, Provençal, ready to go style. It’s ideal for enjoying anytime over the coming 7-8 years.
The final blend from tank of the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Telegramme boasts delicate, floral aromas and hints of strawberries and raspberries. It's full-bodied but silky and tender, very charming, with decent length. I haven't been a huge fan of this cuvée in the past, but this is pretty darn good.
- 90 POINTS VT’s second wine, blended from fruit that doesn’t make it into its La Crau bottling, this also includes grapes from other lieux-dits. The 2018 feels fresh and sunny, with juicy acidity energizing its herbal cherry fruit.
- 16/20 POINTS