Game of Rhone: 1995 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau

WINE TALK
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  • 1995 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (4/6/2014)
    I was dying for some good steak, so off to Rothmanns in Midtown NYC we went. The theme was “Wines that go with steak and with good friends”, so since I’ve been drinking lots of Burgs lately I opted for this. Gorgeous, relatively Burgundian aromatics right off the bat, with light red fruits mingling with a light herbal note. The palate however was all Southern Rhone, like a steel fist in a velvet glove (OK, I’ve been watching too much Game of Thrones lately). But it was bloody and irony and hard hard hard in the mouth, luckily I opened it 4 hours beforehand.

4 hours later, vive la difference! Silky, smooth, full of spicy/peppery red and blue fruits, garrigue, minerals and blood, but all on a supremely elegant frame, ending with a long mouth-watering finish. Absolutely gorgeous, this just kept getting better and better as we went back to the bottle. Great with the steaks and the company.

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Thanks Michel, I have a 95 mag standing to try sometime in the near future. Cant wait! Curious did you decant or slow O?

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David, I slow O’d it, opening the wine at 5:15pm and pouring it around 8:30-9pm. Definitely helped.

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A 1995 still needed a 4 hour decant? Geez, I’ve heard that Vieux Telegraphe needs time, but that is getting excessive. I wonder when my 2010’s will be ready to drink?

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I don’t think it needs a long decant but it won’t hurt. It’s a fantastic wine that has really transformed since its early black & furry days (and it was great then too). If you like Rayas, aged VT is really worth a try. You would never know it when the wines are young.