2016 Chateauneuf du Pape La Crau Blanc

The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc is always more straight, focused, and chiseled than the La Roquete. Lemon curd, white flowers, salty minerality, and ample licorice notes all give way to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, beautifully balanced white. Give it a few years. Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe is one of the old-guard estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and the Brunier brothers continue to make a classic, ageworthy, and uncompromising style of wine that requires bottle age. The estate is in the eastern portion of the appellation and has a whopping 150 acres of prime terroir, almost all located in the famed La Crau lieu-dit, which is one of the warmer, earlier terroirs in the region. In addition to their reds, they also make a brilliant white. I’ve also included the La Roquete releases here, which are also made by this team.

In just one short year, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc has blossomed into a richer wine, with ripe pineapple and tangerine flavors balanced by crisp lime notes. Medium to full-bodied, it boasts a lovely, silky texture and a long, finely nuanced finish. It should drink well for another 5-7 years.