Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1981

  • 92 Robert
    Parker
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Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1981 Front Label
Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1981 Front Label

Product Details


Varietal

Region

Producer

Vintage
1981

Size
750ML

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Professional Ratings

  • 92
    The first vintage made completely by Brothers Daniel and Frederic Brunier, the 1981 Chateauneuf du Pape is anther beautiful effort from this estate which is holding nicely. It offers classic VT notes of marine-like saltiness, seaweed, menthol, flowers, pepper and wild strawberry fruit to go with a seamless, medium-bodied, fully mature, elegant style on the palate. I would have drunk bottles a decade or more ago, but it's still a treat to taste and I'd happily enjoy a glass today.

Other Vintages

2001
  • 95 Robert
    Parker
2000
  • 93 Robert
    Parker
1999
  • 91 Robert
    Parker
1998
  • 95 Robert
    Parker
  • 94 Wine
    Enthusiast
1994
  • 93 Robert
    Parker
Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe

Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe

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Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe, France
Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Proprietors Winery Image

One cannot think of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the most celebrated cru of the Southern Rhône, without thinking of Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe. The Brunier family is legendary in its own right, having been rooted to the enigmatic plateau known as “La Crau” for over one hundred years. The wines of Vieux Télégraphe evoke the concept of terroir in its purest form: they reflect their dramatic climate, the rough terrain that defines the soil, their full sun exposure at a higher altitude, the typicity of the varietals with an emphasis on Grenache, and of course, the influence of their caretakers, the Brunier family. For many, La Crau is Chateauneuf-du-Pape’s grandest cru.

The AOC for Chateauneuf-du-Pape is in the Rhone Valley stretching from Orange to Avignon. Domaine Vieux Telegraphe was founded in 1895, and takes it name Vieux Telegraphe (Old Telegraph) from a rocky plateau of the Domaine where in 1792 Me. Chappe, the inventor of the optical telegraph, installed a relay tower.

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With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.

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Famous for its full-bodied, seductive and spicy reds with flavor and aroma characteristics reminiscent of black cherry, baked raspberry, garrigue, olive tapenade, lavender and baking spice, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the leading sub-appellation of the southern Rhône River Valley. Large pebbles resembling river rocks, called "galets" in French, dominate most of the terrain. The stones hold heat and reflect it back up to the low-lying gobelet-trained vines. Though the galets are typical, they are not prominent in every vineyard. Chateau Rayas is the most obvious deviation with very sandy soil.

According to law, eighteen grape varieties are allowed in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and most wines are blends of some mix of these. For reds, Grenache is the star player with Mourvedre and Syrah coming typically second. Others used include Cinsault, Counoise and occasionally Muscardin, Vaccarèse, Picquepoul Noir and Terret Noir.

Only about 6-7% of wine from Châteauneuf-du-Pape is white wine. Blends and single-varietal bottlings are typically based on the soft and floral Grenache Blanc but Clairette, Bourboulenc and Roussanne are grown with some significance.

The wine of Chateauneuf-du-Pape takes its name from the relocation of the papal court to Avignon. The lore says that after moving in 1309, Pope Clément V (after whom Chateau Pape-Clément in Pessac-Léognan is named) ordered that vines were planted. But it was actually his successor, John XXII, who established the vineyards. The name however, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, translated as "the pope's new castle," didn’t really stick until the 19th century.

LSB210105_1981 Item# 210105

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