2018 Chateauneuf du Pape La Crau Blanc

A blend of Clairette, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, and Bourboulenc brought up mostly in foudre, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc offers a more crystalline style with its white peach, crushed citrus, white flower, and obvious minerality. Clean, pure, and chiseled on the palate, it has good concentration, an almost red wine-like structure, and a great finish. It's going to age beautifully. In the Brunier family since 1898, Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe lies on the eastern edge of Châteauneuf du Pape and covers 60 hectares of some of the finest terroir out there, the famed la Crau plateau. Looking at the winemaking, the estate has destemmed all their grapes since 1989 and the wines see all native ferments, with no temperature control, and aging all in older foudre. In addition, due to the recent completion of a new state of the art winery, the grapes are now moved only by gravity. While 2016 was an incredible vintage for this estate, they’ve produced brilliant wines in both 2017 and 2018. Lovers of elegant, classical Châteauneuf du Pape, both red and white, can’t wrong with this estate.

A blend of 40% Clairette and 30% each Grenache Blanc and Roussanne, from vines in la Crau that average 50 years old, the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc continues the excellent run for this wine. It's zesty, lime-ridden and briny on the nose, medium to full-bodied and a bit silky on the palate, but it's so fresh, citrusy and vibrant on the finish that it comes across as crisp and refreshing. I've been gradually extending the drinking windows on white Châteauneufs, as I become convinced that many of them age better than I've given them credit for in the past. This one should drink well for at least 5-6 years.