“It’s the soil,” insists Daniel Brunier, of the rocky field where the vines of Domaine Vieux Telegraphe are planted. The plateau of La Crau ascends 130 meters above sea level where a unique terrain and micro-climate help to develop the wines of Vieux Telegraphe in the AOC (Controlled Designation of Origin) of Chateauneuf-Du-Pape. Considered unfit for cultivation, its soil a thankless proposition due to a high density of pebbles; this is where Henri Brunier, in 1891, lay claim to what would become one of the most iconic Domaines in all of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. What began as a small and potentially impossible endeavour, has turned into a family empire that now controls 247 acres in Southern Rhone, producing 16,000 bottles annually.
The 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape La Crau is a hugely successful vintage, marked by scents of sun-warmed stones, garrigue, black cherries, and black olives. Full-bodied, rich, and velvety, it finishes with tremendous length and softly dusty tannins, which should help ensure a long, positive evolution.