Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Tasting

Last Friday, October 19, 2012, my husband and I had the privilege of meeting Daniel Brunier, Winemaker for  Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape , at Liner and Elsen, a neighborhood wine shop in Portland, Oregon. We tasted 8 wines that M. Brunier produces. It was a LOVELY evening and a fantastic opportunity to enjoy our favorite wines along with a crowd of others who also greatly appreciated this kind of wine. The following are the tasting notes my husband recorded.

The prices shown are what Liner and Elsen listed on the tasting notes sheet that each attendee was given.

We score the wines from 0 to 10. NO WINE has ever received a score of 10 from us (we’re tough when it comes to rating). Anything above a 6 is excellent. Our cellar is full of mostly Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape so you know we LOVE this winemaker.

2011 Les Pallieres Gigondas rose, "au petit bonheur"

($21.99 bottle/225.61 case)
- Grenache , Syrah , Cinsault , Clairette
- Crisp, lighly sparkling, bone dry
- score: 9

2010  Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape blanc

(bottle 66.99/ case 687.31)
- Clairette (40%), Grenache Blanc (30%), Bourboulenc (15%) and Roussane (15%)
- Clear and clean
- light acidity
- Nothing special (but nothing really wrong)
- Score: 7

2010 Brunier Le Pigeoulet en Provence, Vin de Pays de Vaucluse rouge

(bottle 17.99/ case 184.57)
- Coppery finish almost cheaper pinot-like. Good pizza wine
- Grenache Noir (80%), Syrah (10%), Carignan (5%), Cinsault (5%)
- score: 8

2008 Pallieres Gigondas, Terrasse du Diable

(bottle 31.99/ case 328.21. 1.5l 74.99)
- Young with a shorter finish than Vieux Télégraphe
- Pepper, cherry, tobacco
- Grenache Noir (90%),Mourvèdre (5%), Clairette (5%)
- score: 8

2009 Telegramme Châteauneuf-du-Pape rouge

(bottle 45.99/ case 471.85)
- mostly Grenache
- Tight, alum chalky
- light black cherry
- Score: 8

2009  Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape rouge

(bottle 66.99/case $687.31; 1.5l $161.99; 3l $368; 6l $698; 9l $1028)
- Grenache Noir (65%), Mourvèdre (15%), Syrah (15%); Cinsault, Clairette and sundry others (5%)
- Very green and tight
- tasty; classic CNdP
- Score: 8

2010  Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape rouge

(bottle $82.99/case 851.47; 1.5l $185; 3l $458)
- Grenache Noir (65%), Mourvèdre (15%), Syrah (15%); Cinsault, Clairette and sundry others (5%)
- Much more approchable than the 2009
-  tasty; classic CNdP
- Score: 9

Wine Spectator Interview with Daniel Brunier in 2007: