Vintages Selection: Domaine de Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2005

Well, it has been some time since I’ve updated, no doubt resulting in the loss of readers to whom this little apologetic preamble might have mattered. This blog tapered off and ceased to be updated for simple reasons: it was too much work, and I had too much other work. But, in the months that have passed, I found myself wanting to contribute a little here and there, and have now decided that the solution to the problem is to pare down some of the entries. I’ll still wax on about certain wines that I’m particularly taken by, but I’d also like to devote shorter entries to great values. So, for the ten of you out there who will read this – all friends and family, no less – I'll return with an entry on my all-time favorite wine, which is being released in limited quantities May 10th.

Domaine de Vieux Telegraphe
Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2005 67.95 (951475)

I’ve already said so much about Chateauneuf-du-Pape, about the wonderful 2005 vintage, and about this unique and fascinating terroir, but I remain compelled to fawn over the wine in question because, quite simply, I believe it to be one of the best values in fine French wine. While I understand that this may seem strange and that 70 dollars is a whopping amount for a bottle of wine, those who have tried it will know that it is vastly superior to what you get for the same price in Bourdeaux or Burgundy. With wine from those regions, one could spend twice as much and still not come close to the quality level of Vieux Telegraphe. For me, it is the essence of Provence in a bottle.

As has been noted elsewhere on these pages, I am a huge fan of Chateau Beaucastel, another leading wine of the appellation. What makes Beaucastel so enticing is the high presence of Mourvedre, a late-ripening grape with gamey notes. Taking nothing away from Beaucastel, what makes Vieux Telegraphe, is the Grenache. It is, perhaps, the loveliest Grenache-dominated wine anywhere in the world. Grenache is, of course, often derided for its lack of complexity and not thought to be on par with other noble varietals. This is, to some extent, a fair criticism, and the reason that virtually all Chateauneuf is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. But when one has 65 year-old Grenache vines, it makes sense to show their fruit off a little. As such, Vieux Telelgraphe is usually comprised of about 65% Grenache (with roughly equal parts of the aforementioned Syrah and Mourvedre rounding out the blend). It is this high percentage of Grenache that lends the wine some of the most intense and intoxicating kirsch (cherry) flavors I’ve ever tasted. There is a sweetness to Vieux Telegraphe that speaks to the sun-drenched vineyards of the south of France. This is a wine made with grapes that have reached their maximum ripeness and concentration. This, however, is not so rare that it would make for a special wine on its own. There is a second characteristic of a good Vieux Telegraphe that lies underneath the cherry: stoniness.

I know that I’m repeating myself by celebrating the stoniness of a Chateauneuf yet again, but it is necessary to stress with Vieux Telegraphe because it is really the stoniest wine I’ve tasted. And, for those of you who haven’t read my other entries, I’m not referring to the type of minerality that one might get in a good Riesling; this is a warm stoniness that can draw the drinker back to the landscape from which the wine originated. Upon opening a bottle of 2003 Vieux Telegraphe with my wife, the two of us were momentarily transported back to our honeymoon spent in and around Chateauneuf-du-Pape. As improbable as it might seem, all the smells of the rugged landscape of Provence – particularly garrigue – seem to manage their way into Vieux Telegraphe.

Pairing this wine with food should be relatively straightforward. One must, however, take into consideration its age and evolution. If opening this wine young, it is imperative to aerate (decant) it for at least an hour, preferably two. Although it is not reported to be “closed” at present, giving it ample air would, no doubt, help to rouse some of the underlying complexity. After aerating, two possible pairings in the wine’s youth might be: braised beef dishes (in wine-based sauces) or duck confit (the ample fat balancing the youthful tannins). As the wine ages and softens a bit, I think an ample-sized veal chop would be lovely, but even a spice-rubbed (eg. rosemary, thyme, etc.) roasted chicken would do it justice.

If you’re a buyer of New World wines or primarily Bordeaux and Burgundy, I urge you to buy at least one Vieux Telegraphe. It may change the way you conceive of the Rhone Valley and how you buy wines in general. As a final note, both Robert Parker (Wine Advocate) and James Molesworth (Wine Spectator) rate the 2005 Vieux Telegraph 95 points, obviously within "outstanding" range.

For more information about Domaine de Vieux Telegraphe please consult the following sources:
www.thewinedoctor.com, www.vignoblesbrunier.fr, and Kermit Lynch's Adventures On the Wine Route.

Vintages Selection: Vieux Donjon 2005, Grand Veneur 2004, and Les Origines 2005

With the November 24th release a thing of the past, it's time to turn our focus to December 8th, a quality-packed release perfectly timed for the holidays. Over the next few days I'll be featuring a number of exciting wines, but to get things started I'd like to return to a region I've already discussed in these pages: Chateauneuf du Pape. While I'm aware that it is undesirable to return to a region over and over again, the Chateauneufs offered on the 8th are simply fantastic.
















Le Vieux Donjon 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape 56.40 (#700922)

Insofar as I've discussed many characteristics of Chateauneuf du Pape's terroir and the flavour profile of its wines in my Beaucastel entry, I'll keep this a bit shorter. Like Beaucastel, Le Vieux Donjon is one of the best wines of the appellation. Better still, the 2005 vintage was superb in Chateauneuf, and many domaines produced their finest offerings in more than five years. While Vieux Donjon (as is the case with many of the better estates) produced phenomenal wine in both 2003 and 2004, if you put stock in the Wine Spectator's view of things, the 2005 is even a bit better than these highly rated bottlings. Indeed, the folks at the Wine Spectator think so highly of this wine that they ranked it 3rd on their list of the top 100 wines of 2007. What is nice about this top 100 list is that it is not based solely on the wine's rating; they also take into account price and availability. And though it is not cheap, at less than 60 dollars, this wine easily rivals bottles twice and three times as much.




















Named after the old summer residence of the popes during the 14th century, Le Vieux Donjon is a traditionally made Chateauneuf du Pape. What are the defining characteristics of this traditional approach? The red is dominated by Grenache (75%), and it is aged for 6 months in cement tank which is followed by 12 months in oak foudres. A foudre is an extremely large cask that allows the wine to develop without imparting oaky notes. In addition to this, winemakers Lucien Michel and his wife Marie Jose have not participated in the trend of making a super cuvee. I like this approach in that it demonstrates their commitment to producing a single offering of premium quality wine. Why reserve "special" grapes for a limited release cuvee when they could go into the primary wine?

If there is a downside to this wine, it is that it requires patience. One word used to describe this wine is "backward." Although it would seem as though there is a negative connotation to this term, it in fact refers to the high degree of tannin and structure that defines big wines from good vintages. It is helpful to think about this term in a somewhat literal sense: it is the opposite of "fruit-forward." Despite this, there are underlying red-fruit flavours associated with the high percentage of Grenache, but they are currently overpowered by the tannin. At present the wine is quite closed, but it will start to show off its immense potential in 5 years or so. It has all the structure to develop into a complex mix of cherry, provencal herbs and stones. If you have the money, it would be nice to try one of these with a holiday dinner (think prime rib) and then put a couple away for the long haul. You will not be disappointed!

















Domaine Grand Veneur Chateauneuf du Pape 2004 39.00 (#41954) and Cuvee Les Origines 2005 53.95 (#43059)

There are two offerings from Grand Veneur in the December 8th release, the standard bottling from the 2004 vintage and the super cuvee from 2005. They are both excellent wines. Aside from the vintage date, the primary difference between the two wines is that the super cuvee (Les Origines) comes from older vines, sees a higher percentage of Mourvedre (30% vs. 20%), and is aged in new oak barrels. This is a less than traditional approach, but there are now a number of estates experimenting with such bottlings (the most similar being La Nerthe's Cuvee des Cadettes). Built for the long haul, many of these wines require some cellar time before they reveal their true colours. But they are often wonderfully concentrated wines, and this is certainly the case with the 2005 Grand Veneur. Referring to Parker's tasting notes, one finds that despite moderate tannins, this wine is actually quite approachable now. Although he suggests 2-3 years of aging, this is quite different from the Vieux Donjon, and I'm sure this will appeal to many people unwilling to make the commitment to really cellar wines. Significantly, the Parker rating is a 95, which at this price point is nothing short of fantastic.
















At about 20 dollars less, the standard bottling from the 2004 vintage is not giving a whole lot away to the 2005 Les Origines. Made in a more traditional manner, this wine is another lovely example of the great Chateauneuf terroir. Grand Veneur is located in the north of the appellation, and like all the top estates, features stony and windswept vineyards. The proprietor of the domaine is Alain Jaume, and his sons, Sebastian and Christophe, represent the 6th generation of Jaumes making wine in Chateauneuf du Pape. The awareness of such lineages always makes a wine that much more special to me. The thought that a family has been cultivating and caring for the land for so many years reinforces what a wonderful gift wine is and serves to remind us that the French are still the model of respect for the tradition of wine making.















Although this bottling would age for 10+ years, it can absolutely be drunk now, and that's what I'd strongly recommend. Save the other wines of this entry for the cellar; this is one to open now and enjoy with braised beef ribs or other slow-cooked red meat dishes. It has great aromas of raspberry, fig and garrigue, that combination of wild herbs and scrub brush that defines much of the Provencal landscape and the wines of the Southern Rhone. The Parker rating is 91, and though that's lower than the 2005 Les Origines, this is a classic case in which ratings are misleading and somewhat irrelevant. As a wine that doesn't require the same degree of aging, this cuvee offers a different drinking experience, not necessarily an inferior one. I thoroughly enjoy drinking young Chateauneufs (indeed, that's what I most commonly can get my hands on), and prefer not to place such wines in competition with other bottles that demand long-term aging. Having said that, one intriguing experiment would be to buy both offerings from Grand Veneur and try them beside one another. It might even be fun to blind taste them to ascertain which one you prefer (then you can really see if the ratings matter!). Spotting the differences in the two wines would really help the enthusiast to note the subtle differences between two closely related wines.

Vintages Selection: Chateau de Beaucastel 2005

Although the November 10th Vintages release highlights the 2005 crop of Burgundies, for this first entry, it seems more appropriate to focus on a different region. Having visited Chateauneuf-du-Pape this summer, the release of the 2005 Chateau de Beaucastel is the perfect opportunity to showcase the nature and purpose of this blog. Not only is Beaucastel one of the great representatives of the appellation, having actually visited the winery, I am in a decent position to provide some information about this wonderful estate. Although I will almost always choose wines at a lower price point, every once in while there will be special exceptions.















Chateau de Beaucastel 2005 91.95 (#711317)

Along with Vieux Telelgraphe, Chateau Rayas, Domaine de la Janasse (to name only a few on a growing list), Beaucastel is generally considered to be one of the top estates in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, an appellation with one of the oldest wine making traditions. As of 1344, 285 hectares of the appellation now known as Chateauneuf-du-Pape were already under vine. Contrary to common belief, these plantings had little to do with the arrival of the Papacy in Avignon in 1305 and likely far preceded this date. Some have speculated that it was the Greeks who planted the first vineyards in this region, and that the Romans merely extended these plantings. What is certain, however, is that the later arrival of the Popes -- and their taste for the local wine -- led to far wider planting in the region. They are primarily responsible for both the rise of the region and its tradition of quality.

There are a variety of factors that make Chateauneuf-du-Pape an excellent place to make wine. But, to put it succinctly, it is a grand terroir. The English language does not, unfortunately, have an adequate word to translate terroir, which refers to the combination of soil, weather, sun exposure, slope and other natural characteristics that define the wine of not only a particular region, but even specific vineyards. The basic defining features of Chateauneuf's terroir are the stony soil (referred to as the galets or cailloux), the extensive exposure to the Provencal sun, and the presence of the Mistral, the brisk wind from the north that helps to protect the vineyards from insect pests. While no one aspect of a terroir can be privileged above another, the function of the galets is perhaps the most interesting: warmed by the sun throughout the day, these stones retain heat into the night and help the vines mature. One of the unique aspects of a good Chateauneuf is the presence of a stony, flint-like flavour. As another producer's name so aptly puts it, the wines of this region are "the blood of the stones" (Les Sang des Cailloux).














Although not one of the oldest estates, Beaucastel is by no means young. It's modern roots can be traced to 1909 when Pierre Tramier bought the estate and proceeded to pass it on to his son-in-law Pierre Perrin. It was, however, under the supervision of his brother, Jacques Perrin, that the estate flourished into one of best in the region. With his death in 1978, his sons Jean Pierre and Francois have taken over the estate. You may, I should note, recognize the Perrin name because of the many other wines they produce throughout the Southern Rhone, most of which are of very high quality (the Vacqueyras is particularly wonderful). Located at the northeast region of the appellation, as the pictures show, Beaucastel's vineyards are marked by the presence of the galets and their exposure to the elements, particularly the sun and wind. There are, however, aspects of the wine produced here that are unique to this estate.














There are thirteen permitted grape varietals in Chateauneuf-du-Pape (fourteen if one counts grenache noir and blanc as separate). For red blends, the most common and important are Grenache, Mourvedre, and Syrah. Unlike other estates, Beaucastel actually includes all thirteen varietals in its cuvees. More importantly still, and again unlike most other estates, there is a much higher portion of Mourvedre in Beaucastel. Indeed, the super cuvee, Hommage a Jacques Perrin, which is only made in particularly good years, sees sixty percent or more Mourvedre. The standard bottling is usually a blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, 5% Cinsault and the remaining varieties in small portions. Many believe that Beaucastel is defined by animalistic characteristics, and these are most likely the result of the high percentage of Mourvedre (although some speculate it is the presence of Brettanomyces, a yeast in the vineyards and winery, that leads to these flavours) . It is not uncommon for wine critics to list "beef blood" in their tasting notes of aged Beaucastels. While this may sound anything but savory, my own tasting of the 1990 vintage can confirm not only the presence of this flavour and scent, but its desirability. At their best, Beaucastels are a truly visceral experience.















2005 was an excellent vintage in the Southern Rhone. Robert Parker has rated it a 95, the highest rating since 2001's 96. One must, however, show a degree of caution in such good vintages. Being wines meant for long term cellaring, the 2005 Beaucastel will absolutely benefit from, if not require, 5-7 years of bottle age. Having said that, this would be an excellent holiday gift for the wine lover on your list. For those with a greater degree of financial freedom than myself, buying a few of these would allow for the possibility of charting the wine's development over the years.

For those unwilling to make the financial commitment to this wine, an excellent alternative is the Coudoulet de Beaucastel Cotes du Rhone 2004 (Vintages 29.95 #48884). Made from vineyards immediately north of those designated Chateauneuf-du-Pape, this wine is affectionately referred to as 'baby Beaucastel.' The blend and vinification is virtually identical to its big brother. It is an excellent value, but quantities are limited.

For Parker's review of these wines and Vintages quantity information, please visit their website at vintages.com.

The following websites were helpful in the composition of this entry:

www.beaucastel.com
www.chateauneuf.dk/en/front.htm
www.thewinedoctor.com