Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe La Crau Rouge

In the glass

Aroma: blackberry jam, kirsch, smoked meat, garrigue, white pepper

Palate: dark fruit, olive tapenade, leather, dried fig, firm mineral finish

The benchmark galets roules Chateauneuf from La Crau plateau: dark, rich Grenache-led blend with smoked meat, olive, and garrigue complexity on a full, mineral frame.

What it pairs with

• Provencal daube with olives
  The wine's olive and garrigue notes mirror the slow-braised beef stew.
• Roasted lamb shoulder
  Grenache-led, full-bodied structure handles fat-rich lamb excellently.
• Duck confit
  Rich, smoked-meat aromatics are a natural match for confit.
• Aged Languedoc tomme
  Firm tannins cut through hard sheep's-milk cheese.

History

The Brunier family has farmed the La Crau lieu-dit since 1898, one of the highest and stoniest plateaux in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The galets roules (large rounded stones) retain heat and reflect it onto the vines, accelerating ripening. Vieux Telegraphe is named after the old Chappe telegraph tower on the hill.

1. 1898 — Hippolyte Brunier plants vines on La Crau plateau
2. 1950 — Estate grows significantly; La Crau wines bottled under the Vieux Telegraphe name
3. 1985 — Daniel and Frederic Brunier take over; international recognition follows

Facts

Producer

Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe

Grapes

Grenache (65%), Mourvedre (15%), Syrah (15%), Cinsault (5%)

Classification

Chateauneuf-du-Pape AOC

Oak

18 months in large old foudres

ABV

14.5%

Price

EUR 55-90 at retail

Drinking window

5-25 from vintage

First vintage

1898

Organic

ECOCERT

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