There are few wines that define a region as completely as Vieux Télégraphe La Crau Rouge defines Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Sourced exclusively from the fabled La Crau plateau, one of the most celebrated vineyard sites in the Rhône Valley, this is a wine of structure, minerality, and unmistakable terroir. With its signature old-vine Grenache backbone, combined with Mourvèdre, Syrah, and traditional Rhône varieties, Vieux Télégraphe is a monumental, age-worthy Châteauneuf-du-Pape that remains one of the most collectible and revered wines in the Southern Rhône.
At the heart of Vieux Télégraphe is La Crau, a plateau covered in galets roulés (large, rounded stones) that absorb heat during the day and release it at night, ensuring optimal ripening of the estate’s old vines, some of which exceed 80 years of age. This extreme terroir, with its deep limestone and clay subsoils, lends the wine its signature power and mineral-driven intensity, giving it an identity that is unmistakably Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
The blend is dominated by Grenache (65%), supported by Mourvèdre (15%), Syrah (15%), and small amounts of Cinsault and Clairette, creating a wine that balances richness with structure, fruit with earthiness, and power with finesse. Unlike many modern Rhône producers, Vieux Télégraphe is made in a resolutely traditional style, with whole-cluster fermentation, native yeasts, and long aging in old foudres (large oak casks). The result is a wine that is never over-extracted or overly polished but instead deeply expressive of its terroir.
The nose is intense and layered, offering aromas of ripe red cherries, blackberries, and dark plums, intertwined with notes of garrigue, black pepper, lavender, and crushed stones. As the wine evolves, hints of tobacco, leather, and iron-like minerality emerge, reflecting the extreme character of La Crau’s stony soils.
On the palate, Vieux Télégraphe is bold, structured, and remarkably complex. The tannins are firm yet finely woven, giving the wine incredible longevity. Flavors of black cherry, fig, and dried herbs unfold with remarkable depth, supported by earthy tones, spice, and a long, saline-driven finish. While powerful, the wine is never excessive—its elegance and balance are what set it apart from many heavier, more extracted Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines.
Vieux Télégraphe La Crau Rouge is built for long-term aging, often requiring 10 to 20 years to reach its full potential. With time, the wine develops even greater complexity, revealing nuances of truffle, aged tobacco, and dried flowers, while maintaining its unmistakable mineral backbone.
In a region known for bold, sun-drenched reds, Vieux Télégraphe stands as a beacon of tradition, proving that power and finesse can coexist in perfect harmony. It is not just one of the greatest wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape—it is a wine that represents the soul of the appellation itself.
