Notify me
2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Télégramme”
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe
If Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe’s “La Crau,” the Brunier family’s cuvée produced from the eponymous stone-covered plateau in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, has inscribed itself in wine lore over decades of superb, long-lived vintages, it’s no coincidence. It is made from ancient vines—seventy years old on average, with some sectors surpassing the century mark—firmly entrenched in the appellation’s most celebrated terroir, where the seasoned roots of gnarled Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault, and others dig through a thick layer of riverbed stones to access the coolness found deep beneath the sunbaked surface.
The Bruniers’ La Crau holdings, however, are not all mature enough to produce the intense, concentrated fruit that defines the “La Crau” bottling. Over the years, certain parts of the vineyard have been replanted, while missing vines here and there lost to natural causes have been replaced. The fruit from these younger vines is united in the Télégramme bottling, which the Bruniers have produced since 2002, when an uncharacteristically rainy season gave what they feared would be a watered-down version of Vieux Télégraphe. To their surprise, the newborn cuvée was silky and seductive, providing so much immediate pleasure that customers begged them to make it again. Since then, it has become a mainstay of the Brunier lineup, offering a taste of the greatness of “La Crau” with less of the imposing structure that demands bottle age to reach a velvety apex. Today, the young-vine fruit is supplemented by splashes of old-vine Châteauneuf from sites a stone’s throw, so to speak, from La Crau, bolstering Télégramme’s complexity without sacrificing its plush, toothsome texture.
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. This unfiltered bottling is one of the best editions to date, with sensual red fruit that is both mouth-filling and weightless, as luxurious as it is accessible. Perfect for enjoying now and over the next few years, it is an ideal match for whatever other fresh, seasonal flavors are on your plate.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2022 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 6% Mourvèdre, 4% Cinsault |
Appellation: | Châteauneuf-du-Pape |
Country: | France |
Region: | Southern Rhône |
Producer: | Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe |
Winemaker: | Brunier Family |
Vineyard: | 40 years average |
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 6 months in foudres |
Farming: | Organic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau”
France | Southern Rhône
The majesty of the La Crau vineyard is encapsulated in this wine. I can't think of a grander expression of Southern Rhone terroir.

2020 Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise HALF BOTTLE
France | Southern Rhône
Leydiers at Domaine de Durban are particularly proud of their Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, a vin doux naturel, as they are among the last to craft it in the traditional style.

2011 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” HALF BOTTLE
France | Southern Rhône
It’s a gem, and you won’t be disappointed.

2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” HALF BOTTLE
France | Southern Rhône
It’s a gem, and you won’t be disappointed.

2023 Gigondas
France | Southern Rhône
Durban does here what they do best, keeping the focus and precision of the terroir as well as loads of fruit and pleasure.

2022 Gigondas “Racines”
France | Southern Rhône
The palate is dense and ripe, yet wonderfully smooth and elegant. Racines seems to tap into the history of Les Pallières, the prestige and the high-toned elegance.

Huile d’Olive Vierge Extra
| Southern Rhône
Full-bodied yet delicate, infused with the joie de vivre of the south of France.

2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” MAGNUM
France | Southern Rhône
It is important to remember the heights that old-vine Grenache can reach when planted on arid, stony plateaus in the shadows of Mount Ventoux.

2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau”
France | Southern Rhône
Perfect for those who enjoy delicacy and finesse in their Châteauneuf.

2023 Beaumes-de-Venise Rouge
France | Southern Rhône
Grenache is joined by Syrah and a drop of Mourvèdre to create this delightful everyday red scented of herbes de Provence and ripe black cherry.
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
2023 Vacqueyras Rouge “ Doucinello”
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2024 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Blanc “Le Pigeoulet”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Piedlong”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2011 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” HALF BOTTLE
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe France | Southern Rhône
2022 Côtes-du-Rhône “La Sagesse”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2021 Gigondas “Terrasse du Diable” MAGNUM
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône
2023 Côtes-du-Rhône “L’Emouvante”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2013 Gigondas “Les Racines”
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône
2023 Côtes-du-Rhône “Sierra du Sud”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2022 Vacqueyras Rouge “Cuvée de Lopy”
Domaine le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2024 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Blanc
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône
Clairette de Die “Tradition”
Domaine Achard-Vincent France | Southern Rhône
2023 Vacqueyras Rouge “ Doucinello”
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2024 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Blanc “Le Pigeoulet”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Piedlong”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2011 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” HALF BOTTLE
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe France | Southern Rhône
2022 Côtes-du-Rhône “La Sagesse”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2021 Gigondas “Terrasse du Diable” MAGNUM
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône
2023 Côtes-du-Rhône “L’Emouvante”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2013 Gigondas “Les Racines”
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône
2023 Côtes-du-Rhône “Sierra du Sud”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2022 Vacqueyras Rouge “Cuvée de Lopy”
Domaine le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2024 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Blanc
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône
Clairette de Die “Tradition”
Domaine Achard-Vincent France | Southern Rhône
Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
When buying red Burgundy, I think we should remember:
1. Big wines do not age better than light wine.
2. A so-called great vintage at the outset does not guarantee a great vintage for the duration.
3. A so-called off vintage at the outset does not mean the wines do not have a brilliant future ahead of them.
4. Red Burgundy should not taste like Guigal Côte-Rôtie, even if most wine writers wish it would.
5. Don’t follow leaders; watch yer parking meters.
Inspiring Thirst, page 174