2003 Vieux-Telegraphe - Chateauneuf du Pape (La Crau) Rhone Blend - France - Southern Rhone - Chateauneuf du Pape - Red

Consumed at our Late-Summer Provencale Lamb Roast. From a magnum stored in a temperature-controlled cellar since purchase in 2006. This was corpulent, full, ripe-tasting and well balanced with ample acidity and tannins to balance it all out. Flavors tended toward the black fruit end of the spectrum; the finish was multi-dimensional, quite long and showed black cherries fanning out to raspberry flavors. I detected none of the stewed qualities other tasters have noted, probably because this was from a magnum. This is in a really good place and will provide plenty of warm, deep, slightly spicy drinking pleasure for at least eight more years. Exceeded my high expectations.

Opend for 1 hour before tasting. Still very tight Classic V. Telegraph. Solid structure for a vey warm vintage.

Aging very well. Classic grenache is starting to show. This is the most aged VT I have had and was very impressed. Made me a believer that patience does pay with this wine.