Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

La Crau in Châteauneuf-du-Pape is often described as one of its finest terroirs; a vast raised plateau of galets roulés to the east of the village. The traditional approach is to blend across different soils and plots, but if you want a taste of pure Crau – to see what this terroir produces, and why it’s special – try a mature bottle of Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe. It’s drawn entirely from very old vines (70 to 100-year-old) grown on their 50ha of this exceptional zone.

The original land was bought by Henri Brunier in 1891, and it’s still owned by the same family today, and controlled by brothers Daniel and Frédéric Brunier. Their sons Edouard and Nicolas both joined the estate in the mid-2010s. Daniel and Frédéric are proudly independent and Daniel holds strong views on how Châteauneuf is best expressed: organic viticulture, no irrigation, and no cuvées spéciales are some of them. That this approach results in some fabulous wines is without doubt, in both colours.

As well as Vieux Télégraphe, they make other Châteauneufs, notably a red called Piedlong and an excellent white called Clos Roquète. They also have interests in Gigondas, Ventoux and even Lebanon. Their empire gradually expands, from the solid foundations of La Crau.