94pt "STUNNING" V-Telegraphe CdP 2nd Finest Vtg EVER

Tuesday, July 9th, 2024

#71 Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2022

It's LAST CALL (24 bottles left of the vintage in the country)

The finest yet from the Saints of Southern Rhone: the Brunier Brothers

The second label from Vieux Telegraphe, the 2021 Telegramme Chateauneuf-du-Pape is the finest vintage the Artisan team (and Wine Advocate's Joe Czerwinski) has tasted to date. It's incredible right now and will keep providing pleasure for another decade-and-a-half, easily:

Last Call Collector's Private Sale

Lowest Price in the Country

Last Bottles in the Country

2019 Vieux Telegraphe Châteauneuf

Is also the Last Call for the remaining bottles and magnums of the vintage.

Once Again a WS Top 100 Wine!

Dear Artisans,

Back on August 30th, 2022, we shared Wine Spectator's terrible news update that Vieux Telegraphe's legendary La Crau Vineyard in Chateauneuf-du-Pape was 70-90% completely destroyed by a freak storm:

The Domaine was touched and deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from all of us.

As a token of their thanks, they released the last magnums and 750 mL bottles remaining of this great vintage, as well as the latest release of their second label: Telegramme. These were reserved for a few three-michelin-stars, but we're now able to offer you the last inventory in the country, AT the lowest price in the country! This is our way of passing on to you the savings and a way to help the families affected.

This vintage is truly special: it is like "Burgundy with more sun" as described by proprietor and winemaker Daniel Brunier during his visit to our store, shown below. The critics raved over this one, with scores of 97 to 93 points and a solid place on Wine Spectator's Top 100 for the year (its FIFTH appearance on this list!). The folks at Kermit Lynch believe this is his finest vintages yet, and we completely agree.

None of this should come as a surprise, because 2019 and 2021 are "Dream Vintages" for Southern Rhone. We've gathered these reports for your reference:

"[2019] is exceptional in its own way, combining elegance with power, and excelling over neighboring appellations. ‘Summer was incredible, beautiful, just perfect for Mourvèdre,’ says César Perrin at Château de Beaucastel. This grape variety performed magnificently in 2019, and the Grenache was notably dark and tannic." (Decanter)

"For the Rhône Valley, the 2019 vintage is looking extremely strong. For the reds, reports suggest that they are extremely concentrated – but very well balanced with great acidity." (Wine-Searcher)

"Harvest 2019 in the Rhone Valley: An exceptional vintage." (Chapoutier)

"'There are undoubtedly some stellar wines, and many producers I spoke to were enthusiastically optimistic. Several said that it was the best vintage since 2016, and it is hard to argue with that..." (Jancis Robinson)

2021 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe "Telegramme" Chateauneuf-du-Pape

94 Points - James Suckling:

This is a stunning, well-balanced and crunchy Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Fresh and precise. It shows notes of red berries, cherries, bay leaves, wild herbs and baking spices. Medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins. It has a bright center-palate with freshness and harmony. It's vibrant and zesty with a similar long finish. Drink or hold.

91-93 Points - Vinous:

"The 2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Télégramme shows the characteristics of the vintage well. Mingling aromas of crushed flowers, fresh raspberry and strawberry as well as dried herbs. On the palate it is medium to full-bodied, layered, framed by a smooth tannin structure and balanced by lively acids." - Nicolas Greinacher (Jun 2023)

91 Points - Robert Parker's WA:

"The plump, succulent 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape Telegramme offers cheerful strawberry, raspberry and redcurrant fruit. It's medium to full-bodied, silky and elegant, offering plenty of near-term enjoyment. Tasted twice, with consistent notes." - Joe Czerwinski (Sep 2022)

Last 24 bottles of the vintage in the country!
Lowest Price in the Country

Importer's: ~~$64.00~~

Wine.com: ~~$62.00~~

Our Private Collector Sale:

$59.97 btl (1-2)

$54.97 btl (3-5)

$49.97 btl (6+)

Order link

2019 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

97 Points - James Suckling:

"If anyone tells you that Châteauneuf is just a big red that’s never elegant, then they need to taste this masterpiece of elegance. So many spicy and savory nuances on the very concentrated but almost perfectly proportioned palate. This is both joyful and serious at the very long, focused finish. Decades of aging potential! Drink or hold." (4/7/22)

96+ Points - Robert Parker's WA:

"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." - JC (5/5/22)

95 Points - Vinous Media:

"Saturated ruby. Deep-pitched red/blue fruit liqueur aromas pick up suggestions of licorice, pipe tobacco and pungent flowers and herbs with air. In a lush, weighty style, offering expansive black raspberry, cherry cola, singed plum and fruitcake flavors sharpened by a jolt of spiciness on the back half. For all this wine's richness, it's energetic as well, showing solid, spice- and floral-driven persistence on the finish, which is framed by velvety, even tannins." - Josh Raynolds (Oct 2021)

94+ Points - Jeb Dunnuck:

"The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape is ruby/purple-hued and has the classic translucent color of the domaine. It's more precise and focused than the Télégramme and will need more time, but it offers a complex, gorgeous bouquet of red and black fruits, crushed stone, wild fennel, and ground pepper. Pure, medium to full-bodied, and elegant, do your best to hide bottles for 5-7 years and it's going to keep for two decades." (11/3/2021)

93 Points & #71 Top 100 of 2022 - Wine Spectator:

"Silky and refined, with focused cherry puree, plum reduction and raspberry coulis notes racing through, infused subtly with rose petal, warm stone and lavender hints. Features nice perfume through the finish. Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault. Drink now through 2036. 12,000 cases made, 2,841 cases imported." — JM