Blend: 65% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 15% Syrah and 5% other permitted varieties.
97-98 Points James Suckling
In spite of its extreme youth, this great Chateuneuf-du-Pape leaps out at you with its depth of wet-earth, ripe red-berry and dried-flower aromas. Rich and concentrated, but so suave and refined. Incredible length! Can't wait to taste this masterpiece as a bottled wine!
95 Points Jeb Dunnuck
The classic 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape checks in as 70% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, and 15% Syrah raised all in foudre. It's another incredibly classic wine from this domaine that has beautiful red fruit (cherries, framboise) as well as a mineral-laced array of garrigue, sappy flowers, and crushed stone. With medium to full-bodied richness, a pure, elegant mouthfeel, and building tannins, it will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and have two decades of overall longevity.
94 Points Wine Spectator
A structured version, with muscular tannins upholding crunchy red fruit and plum, plus an enticing perfume of smoke and flowers. Graphite underpinnings carry this through the full-bodied finish, which is still tightly wound; give this time to unfurl and you will be rewarded. Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault. Best from 2027 through 2040.
Winemaker Notes
With 2023, we find ourselves in the presence of a vintage that “breathes,” one that is both classic and singular. It proves the power and resilience of the terroirs, and is characterized by a beautiful balance between acidity and maturity, freshness and richness. There’s a gentle veil of minerality, and the nose is expansive, making way for notes that are more spiced than fruity. The tannins have softened, yielding a mouthfeel that’s both supple and bold.
There is more to uncover in this wine. It is a Vieux Télégraphe that perfectly illustrates the unhurried richness of the La Crau terroir. It never gives us everything all at once, but instead reveals itself in small doses over time and with careful observation. It’s a vintage that can be compared to 2015 and 2020 for its ripeness and balance, but whose depth and structure suggest superior aging potential. This is a wine with a long life ahead of it.
