TN: 2005 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau

[JimHow]

• 2005 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (6/4/2009)
  Probably the wine of the night, up against some tough Bordeaux competition. This beauty had perfect balance. Very smooth, with a sexy spicyness. Maroon-colored, classy, lots of depth but light on its feet. Drinking amazingly deliciously now, but will certainly last. A borderline outstanding effort. (94 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

[Jay Winton]

IM very humble opinion, le crau's need significant time to show their stuff especially in good-great vintages. I had a 375 of the 98 a couple of years ago that was pretty tannic and tight even after decanting but with lots of promise. An old style CNDP, again, in my very humble opinion. Harry, please add your learned commentary to this plebeian post. I'm a bit surprised the 05 was this drinkable.

[ChrisW]

Interesting to see that the CdP came out as the wine of the night.

Can this mean that one (or all) of the 2007 CdPs will be elected as the BWE wine of the year in 2009?

I've tasted the 2005 Vieux Telegraphe several times over the last 1,5 years and just like almost every young cdp I would certainly classify them as drinkable but they did not offer a lot of drinking pleasure.

The 2005 VT's which I've tasted were very backward, primary and relatively closed (many wines of this vintage are more backwards than ussual and young VT is ussually more backward than the average cdp). I think that this wine will be very different in 5-10 years time, becoming a bit more expressive and complex, with some more spice/garrigue gradually making its entry.

It sounds like the bottle which was consumed by Jim was more open/expressive than the bottles which I have tasted (that, or maybe Jim just likes them young ....)

ChrisW

[JimHow]

Chris: My tolerance for tannic young wines has always been a lot greater than most here, that's why I always give a caveat when i rate young wines.

[ChrisW]

I've noticed your tolerances for young wines and their tannins before when reading your notes on young wines.

You should consider yourself very lucky as this means that you do not have to wait years before you can enjoy your treasures.

Personnally, I do not really have a "problem" with the tannins in the young 2005 VT. Its tannins are mostly derived from the grapes which I find much easier to overcome than wood tannins (I find it more of a challenge when a high dosage of wood tannins is combined with highly extracted tannins from the grapes in a high-alcohol wine).

My reservation concerning the 2005 VT had to do with the somewhat disappointing primary and relatively closed nose during my encounters with this wine. That led me to conclude that I should let my remaining bottles rest in my cellar for at least 5 years.

ChrisW

[JimHow]

Yeah I can't wait to start drinking the dozen or so 2006 Bordeauxs I'm gonna be picking up this week for consumption in the name of science....