A Châteauneuf Benchmark — Vieux Télégraphe ‘La Crau’ 2015
Vieux Telegraph is an estate close to my heart – I was lucky enough to work the harvest there in 2012 – the Brunier Family are meticilious in their farming and winemaking across their estates.
There are few estates where terroir speaks with such unwavering clarity—Vieux Télégraphe is one of them. The 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape ‘La Crau’ captures everything that makes this domaine a benchmark: power, mineral purity, and the unmistakable mark of the plateau’s ancient galets roulés.
La Crau is not just a vineyard—it’s stone, spine, and structure. Even in the most challenging vintages, the wines of Vieux Télégraphe are defined not by heat or fruit but by the salivating, stony minerality that the Brunier family has stewarded for four generations.
2015 is a standout year here. The vintage unfolded slowly, with late rains saving drought-stressed vines, followed by a harvest that demanded patience and precision. Long macerations and a slow, measured élevage—10 months in cuve, followed by 12 months in foudre—have yielded a wine of profound balance, depth, and typicity.
About the Wine:
Blend: 65% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 15% Syrah, 5% (Cinsault, Clairette, and others)
Vineyard: 20 to 60-year-old vines on limestone, silica, red clay, and alluvial stones
Winemaking: Native yeast fermentation, aged 22 months in traditional foudres, bottled unfiltered
Farming: Lutte raisonnée
Alcohol: 14.5%
Tasting Note:
The 2015 ‘La Crau’ opens with explosive layers of pure red fruits, black cherries, garrigue, and the unmistakable savory stoniness that La Crau is famed for. On the palate, it’s structured and noble, with tightly woven tannins and a vibrant, mineral-driven finish. This is Vieux Télégraphe as we know and love it—timeless, powerful, and built to evolve gracefully over decades.
Critic Scores:
96 Points – James Suckling
“A wine with playful, attractive character. An array of red, blue and purple fruits. Gently spicy, chalky and fragrant, it has a very supple, fleshy and layered palate with a web of fine, smooth and supple tannins. Extremely elegant and composed. A long draw on the finish. Great depth and drive. This will live super long. Try after 2020.”
95 Points – James Molesworth, Wine Spectator
“This has a lovely, perfumy mix of savory, mint, tobacco, blood orange, cherry and bergamot notes all mixed together, carried by silky but ample structure before ending with a long, mineral- and shiso leaf—infused finish. Finely beaded acidity lets everything hang wonderfully. This should expand and cruise in the cellar. Best from 2020 through 2035.”
Why it matters:
Vieux Télégraphe ‘La Crau’ belongs in the pantheon of Châteauneuf’s greats—alongside Beaucastel, Clos des Papes, Charvin, and Rayas. The 2015 is a quintessential vintage: pure, structured and deeply expressive.
The current average bottle price in Australia is $375.
We have available today at a special price direct from the estate:
5 cases – 12x75cl @ $3,000/case ($250/bottle)
5 cases – 6x150cl @ $3,000/case ($500/magnum)
Arrival September 2025 – as always climatically controlled and fully insured. (Expedited air freight available on request)
Prices are inclusive of all Australian taxes and duties. Any questions please do not hesitate to reach out.
Wine is being collected this week – so please let me know if this offer is of interest.
Best,
Guy
