TN: 1995 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau

[DavidG]

Getting down to our last few bottles of this one. It just keeps getting better.

• 1995 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (2/4/2009)
  Dark red to rim. Big forward nose of cherry, leather, tar, smoked meats, garrigue. Medium-full body, pure fruit on palate with developing complexity, well-integrated tannins, sweet fruit on finish, excellent.

Posted from CellarTracker

[SF Ed]

VT ages for a very long time. 1981 and 1983 tasted in the last year are still going strong. The 1995 is very classic CdP and still getting better and more complex.

Kermit Lynch just came out with the 2007 VT offer and I bit, mostly to get odd bottle sizes as he just sets aside juice and then bottles according to the orders. I still have 3 mags, a double mag, and a 6L of the 1998 VT. If anyone is in the SF area in May of 2014, come to my 50th birthday party where I will be serving the 6L

SF Ed

[HarryKaris]

Indeed a very 'classy' VT. 1995 AND 1994 are drinking very well now. Last week I walked around on the lieu-dit named 'la Crau' in CdP. Famous terroir with many big pebbles.

CdP-Harry

[JimHow]

Harry: So I'm assuming I should skip the 2006 ($67 in NH) and wait for the 2007?

[HarryKaris]

Jim, without any doubt the 2007 VT will be their best ever. I tasted 2 weeks ago for the 2nd time...lots of stuff, lush but also with authentic traditional ingredients........
2007 is a BOMBASTIC vintage in Chateauneuf......but I have to say that the whole southern Rhone did well, although I think most of these wines are made for drinking within 3-5 years. As always, the best CdR wines are produced by the CdP winemakers as they make serious quality CdR's - they one's honour.

CdP-Harry

[Rick]

SF Ed

how much were the non 750s
I had my flyer with me the other day to call and ask this question got distracted and left the flyer whereever I was

I do have to wonder as Jim has commented when we will see a further fall in wine prices as is the case in housing those who keep their powder dry will buy the same wine cheaper later this year and next

rick

[HarryKaris]

To be honest, I think prices especially for 2007 CdP's will go up rather than down. The problem is that most of them are not on the market yet. Demand in Europe is increasing every day. I know of problems with many American importers (they want lower prices, lesser volumes) and I think final allocations for the USA market will be lower than in the past years. The nasty consequence could be that this will drive prices up........ especially in the USA and even dramatically in case (as I strongly believe) economics gets out of the Sh**.

Harry

[DavidG]

I've been a long-time VT fan (that and Beaucastel were what first open my eyes to CdP), and plan on buying some of the '07. I planned on waiting until the '07s hit the shelves, figuring the economy would still be in the crapper and prices would be even lower next year. But for a fabulous vintage, and prodded by Harry's ministrations and exhortations, I went ahead and ordered 2s and 3s of a bunch of them. I haven't seen the VT rouge offered here in the US anywhere yet, though, except for Premier Cru. I've got a bunch of '05 Bordeaux still sitting with them, and don't want to send them any more money until they start sending me some wines.

[JimHow]

New Hampshire usually carries Beaucastel and Vieux Telegraphe, among other CdPs, I'll probably monitor the stores in the Granite State for availability.