I've long been a fan of the wines of the Southern Rhone, and Chateauneuf is the greatest of these wines, at least when it comes to reds. Of the many producers in CdP, Vieux Telegraphe is often considered one of the best, at least among the producers with large enough production that you stand a chance of getting their wine.
Add to that the 2009 vintage, one of the most highly regarded vintages for the area, and you expect an incredible wine. And it's really good, even though still very young.
On first tasting, there wasn't a lot of fruit, and little of the character that you would associate with a wine from the region. But after sitting for a day, it's really developed nicely. Lots of dried dark fruit flavors, with a wonderful spiciness, all wrapped around a backbone of tar and earthiness. This is not a subtle wine; there is a real intensity to the flavor.
The 2009 vintage was a very warm one. The result is the type of vintage that Robert Parker loves; big fruity wines with big body and high levels of alcohol (with this one clocking in at 14.5%, at least that's what's listed on the label.) The downside to all that warmth is that the grapes tend to lose more acidity, and when the acidity drops, the resulting wines tend to lose a bit of structure.
In the end, I can't help but feel slightly disappointed. Perhaps it's because I know of the reputation of this producer (and in fact, have tasted at least one previous vintage, the 2006), but it seems to be lacking the last little bit of depth that it needs to be a truly great wine. The texture is soft and voluptuous, but the flavors of the fruit seem like they should be part of a wine with a little more of an edge to it. It's not a bad thing, but just a slightly odd mis-match, that I'm guessing would not bother a lot of people. Actually, as I get closer to the bottom of the bottle, it's bothering me less and less! (I'm going to claim that this is a function of the wine breathing more).
Overall, I find the wine thoroughly enjoyable, and one that I would love to drink again, especially after it had aged a few more years. If it were a $30 or even $40 bottle, I would highly recommend it. But at $80+, I'm not quite sure that it's worth the money. Still, if you are serious about wines from the Rhone, or if your budget allows for it, this is a wine that you should at least attempt to try.
