Notify me
2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc “La Crau”
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe
There is not much blanc from the famed La Crau vineyard to go around, in France or in the United States, making it one of those rarities sure to leave its mark on any special occasion. That’s not to mention, of course, the fresh fennel aromatics followed by a juicy and creamy core of fruit and salt. Clairette, an unsung hero of the south, is the main grape here, undoubtedly one of many key elements to this singular wine.
—Chris Santini
| Wine Type: | white |
| Vintage: | 2020 |
| Bottle Size: | 750mL |
| Blend: | 40% Clairette, 30% Grenache Blanc, 15% Bourboulenc, 15% Roussanne |
| Appellation: | Châteauneuf-du-Pape |
| Country: | France |
| Region: | Southern Rhône |
| Producer: | Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe |
| Winemaker: | Frédéric & Daniel Brunier |
| Vineyard: | 40 years average, 5 ha |
| Soil: | Alluvial deposits, Limestone, Silica, and Molasse (red clay) with galets roulés |
| Aging: | Wine rests in cement tank for 10 months, and then ages for another 12 months in foudres |
| Farming: | Organic (practicing) |
| Alcohol: | 14.2% |
More from this Producer or Region
2024 Gigondas
France | Southern Rhône
This Gigondas—densely concentrated and deeply opaque—is more refined than meets the eye.
2023 Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
France | Southern Rhône
This lovely Muscat is full of fresh honeysuckle and ripe citrus fruit.
2022 Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge “Contre Couleur”
France | Southern Rhône
Deep, dynamic Grenache feels aptly highlighted by bright and fresh Clairette. Soft and rich, yet still defined.
2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Télégramme”
France | Southern Rhône
If Télégramme is more about fruit than stones, it is still undeniably Châteauneuf, expressing the nobility of carefully farmed Grenache from the Rhône’s finest terroirs.
2023 Côtes-du-Rhône “La Sagesse”
France | Southern Rhône
La Sagesse carries the full flavor, succulence, and savoriness we associate with Grenache on a graceful and lively frame.
2024 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc “La Crau”
France | Southern Rhône
Clairette, an unsung hero of the south, is the main grape here, undoubtedly one of many key elements to this singular wine.
2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” HALF BOTTLE
France | Southern Rhône
It’s a gem, and you won’t be disappointed.
2023 Vacqueyras Rouge “Doucinello”
France | Southern Rhône
February Club Rouge ~ The flavors are mostly deep and dark—stones, licorice, black olive, and blackberry—but the frame is lithe.
2024 Côtes du Rhône Villages Rouge
France | Southern Rhône
Brambly, rustic, savory, and joyous, this is as perfect a house red from the Rhône as you’ll find.
2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau”
France | Southern Rhône
There’s a gentle veil of minerality, and the nose is expansive, making way for notes that are more spiced than fruity.
About The Producer
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe
One cannot think of Châteauneuf-du-Pape without thinking of Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe. The Brunier family is legendary in its own right, having been rooted to the plateau known as La Crau for over a century. The wines of Vieux Télégraphe evoke terroir in its purest form, reflecting the dramatic climate, the rough terrain, the sun exposure at a high altitude, the typicity of the varietals, and of course, the influence of their caretakers, the Brunier family. For many, La Crau is Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s grandest cru. The wines of V.T. are classic, displaying strength, rusticity, and tremendous longevity. Their goal is to find a harmony between aromatic complexity, tannic structure, and richness, which they achieve year after year.
More from Southern Rhône or France
2022 Gigondas “Racines”
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône
2024 Côtes-du-Rhône “Sierra du Sud”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2024 Tavel “La Combe des Rieu”
Gaël Petit France | Southern Rhône
2023 Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône
2024 Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge “Il Fait Soif”
Maxime-François Laurent France | Southern Rhône
2024 Beaumes-de-Venise Rouge
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône
2024 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc “Clos la Roquète”
Frédéric & Daniel Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2022 Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge “Contre Couleur”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2023 Vacqueyras Blanc “Un Sang Blanc”
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Piedlong”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2024 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Rouge “Le Pigeoulet”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2023 Côtes-du-Rhône “L’Emouvante”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2022 Gigondas “Racines”
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône
2024 Côtes-du-Rhône “Sierra du Sud”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2024 Tavel “La Combe des Rieu”
Gaël Petit France | Southern Rhône
2023 Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône
2024 Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge “Il Fait Soif”
Maxime-François Laurent France | Southern Rhône
2024 Beaumes-de-Venise Rouge
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône
2024 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc “Clos la Roquète”
Frédéric & Daniel Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2022 Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge “Contre Couleur”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2023 Vacqueyras Blanc “Un Sang Blanc”
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Piedlong”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2024 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Rouge “Le Pigeoulet”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2023 Côtes-du-Rhône “L’Emouvante”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
For the wines that I buy I insist that the winemaker leave them whole, intact. I go into the cellars now and select specific barrels or cuvées, and I request that they be bottled without stripping them with filters or other devices. This means that many of our wines will arrive with a smudge of sediment and will throw a more important deposit as time goes by, It also means the wine will taste better.