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Vieux Telegraphe Vertical
Sun Street Hotel, Liverpool Street, London
Tasted April 25, 2023 by Vinumming & Ahhing with 124 views
Introduction
Our first get together at this new venue in an excellent private room with great glassware and attentive service
Flight 1 - Opening Gambit (1 note)
White
2020 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc La Crau
91 points
Nutty, honeyed nose with some acacia and salinity. With time some wilted tarragon herbiness too. Palate is fresh, cool fruited with some some sherbet pip acidity (not enough to please real hard core acid lovers) and great length.
Flight 2 - Oldies (3 notes)
Red
1990 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape
93 points
Fruit cakey nose with cloves and bacon. Palate is red fruited and long. Best sip is after two hours in the glass. What a wine. My favourite and the group's second favourite of the night. Sadly this was my only bottle
Red
1993 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape
90 points
A tiny bit behind the exalted 1990, but this is still showing strongly. There is a chalky, talc note to the nose with some blueberry compote and a hint of marzipan. Lovely freshness too. Very light on its feet. Chapeau.
Red
1996 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau
89 points
Looks evolved, some plum and aniseed on the nose, also a hint of nearly empty Bovril jar. Palate is more joined up. One, I suspect, to drink up but in no way falling apart - just in company that was a notch ahead on the night.
Flight 3 - Noughtie but Nice (4 notes)
Red
2000 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau
90 points
Some steeped Christmas cake richness here and something meaty too, some bresaola? There is also a sun dried tomato note and a little Mellow Birds coffee character as well. Palate a tad shorter than the '01 although a lovely acidic refreshing character. Good stuff.
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Red
2001 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau
92 points
Red fruits, some hawthorn a touch of cinnamon and such elegance. Palate has lovely poise and breadth, some acidic prickly and after half an hour in the glass a little sweated chorizo too. My second and the group's favourite wine of the night.
Red
2005 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau
92 points
Slight dark chocolate note here with a sliced damson fruit character. Some oxidised vanilla pod and star anise too. Palate is compact but perfectly formed. Another youthful but one senses built to last wine. My third wine of the night.
Red
2006 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau
90 points
In this flight of four, this is alongside the 2000 qualitatively. There is a beef consommé character to the nose with some darker, deeper aniseed notes. A faint hint of balsamic glaze too - not in an offputting way. Palate is rich, cool and correct.
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Flight 4 - Young Guns (3 notes)
Red
2009 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau
90 points
This is interesting, some around the table get a little brett on this one. For me if there, it's in the background. There is something more exotic here with some mintiness and banana leaf greenness to accompany the slice plum fruitiness. Some blood orange acidity / lift too. Palate is rich and long. Also a good effort.
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Red
2010 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau
91 points
Some subtle oak derived coconut here methinks, with some charming florality, violet macaron? Palate has great poise and balance. I can see why JLL rated it so highly. One for the future. My 4th favourite wine of the night amidst some stiff competition.
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Red
2013 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau
90 points
Blue fruited with, after some time in the glass as delightful and refreshing grapefruit juice twist. There is some redcurrant and some saucisson too. Palate is fresher and cooler than its two flight mates (09 and 10) due to less favourable vintage but this is still very well made.
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Closing
The wine gods shone with excellent corks and all wines in top condition.