Tuesday, February 6th, 2024
#71 Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2022
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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 2020 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:
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Last Call Collector's Private Sale
Lowest Price in the Country
Last Bottles in the Country
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Is also the Last Call for the remaining bottles and magnums of the vintage.
Once Again a WS Top 100 Wine!
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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:
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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.
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None of this should come as a surprise, because 2019 and 2020 are "Dream Vintages" for Southern Rhone. We've gathered these reports for your reference:
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"[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)
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"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)
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"Harvest 2019 in the Rhone Valley: An exceptional vintage." (Chapoutier)
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"'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)
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2020 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe "Telegramme" Chateauneuf-du-Pape
94 Points - James Suckling:
An excellent introduction to Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Notes of damson plum, bitter chocolate and savory on the nose. Rich and dense but with plenty of vitality, and as it flows over the palate more and more spicy, wild herb and balsamic nuances emerge. A cuvee of 80% grenache, 10% syrah, 6% mourvedre and 4% cinsault from a variety of terroirs within the appellation. Drink or hold.
91-93 Points - Robert Parker's WA:
Comprising old vines not from la Crau or le Pied Long (two years ago, the Bruniers purchased eight hectares of 60-year-old Grenache, specifically for this cuvée) and young vines from those lieux-dits, the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape Telegramme delivers pretty notions of strawberries and raspberries, plus just a hint of chocolate. Full-bodied but silky, fine and elegant, this looks like the finest wine I've tasted under this label—a solid wine of its own. Drink 2022-2032.
92 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
Leading off the 2020s now from bottle, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Télégramme is round, expansive, and has plenty of volume, with medium-bodied aromas and flavors of red and black fruits, ground pepper, and Provençal garrigue. It's balanced, has ripe tannins, brings plenty of fruit and intensity, and is perfect for drinking over the coming decade. Drink 2022-2032.
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- Last 24 bottles of the vintage in the country!
Importer's: $61.00 btl
Online Average: $57.99 btl
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Our Private Collector Sale:
$54.97 btl (1-5)
$51.97 btl (6-11)
$49.97 btl (12+)
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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
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- Only 24 bottles of each size left
Online Average: $103.00 btl
Most Elsewhere: $99.99 btl
Online Lowest: $89.99 btl
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Our Private Collector Sale:
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$89.97 btl (1-5)
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$87.97 btl (6-11)
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$84.97 btl (12+)
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$204.97 btl (1.5 L magnum)
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More of our best CDP offers are below: click their images to read on: |
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We're down to the last cases of the 98pt Cult Clos des Papes "Mind-Blowing Star of the Vintage" |
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99 Points - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider:
"Make no mistake, this is off the hook! Deep in color, the wine pops with its array of kirsch, black pepper, black cherry, spice, herbs, plum and thyme on the nose. From there the wine coats your palate with layers of opulently textured, silky red fruits with a gorgeous sense of purity and refinement. The wine is made from 100% old vine, Grenache planted in sandy soils not too far from Chateau Rayas. Drink from 2025 - 2040."
98+ Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"The 100% Grenache 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Amiral G. is totally brilliant, and I’d put it up against anything out there. Deep ruby/purple-hued, with an incredible bouquet of blackberries, ground herbs, cured meats, and peppery spice, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ripe, seamless tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. This is pure Grenache magic and will most likely warrant a triple-digit score in 3-5 years and drink well for 15+. Drink 2021-2040."
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We have 12 bottles left of Rank #10: Guigal's 2018 Chateau de Nalys
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Get in touch!
Text → 650-880-3553
Call → 650-917-8080
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