Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape La Crau 2009
The long awaited and much celebrated 2009 Châteauneufs are now here. A riper vintage than its predecessor this wine is complex, powerful, and dense. Cellar and enjoy this wine for years to come.
Wine Spectator
This is crammed with fruit, spice and structure, as braised fig, plum skin, cassis and anise notes wrestle with roasted apple wood, melted red licorice and tar for now. The embedded grip should carry the finish until this assimilates fully. Best from 2014 through 2024. 5,000 cases imported.
Score: 94.
—James Molesworth,
October
31,
2011.
Wine Advocate
This 135-acre estate (all in the famed La Crau) has produced a 2009 Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape composed of 65% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre and the rest other authorized varietals (from vines that average 60 years of age). The wine is aged 18 months in foudres and concrete tanks. This classic offering had just been bottled before my visit, so it was probably tighter than it will be in 6-12 months. Deep ruby/purple-colored with notes of garrigue, seaweed, licorice, plums, black cherries and raspberries, it typically reveals a Mediterranean sea breeze-like character that is difficult to articulate. The sweetness of the tannin, full-bodied mouthfeel, and evolved style remind me somewhat of the 1983, which is still drinking beautifully. The 2009 can be consumed now or cellared for two decades.
Score: 92.
—Robert Parker,
October
2011.
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