1986 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau

As these tasting notes suggest, Vieux-Telegraphe's performance during the eighties was consistent - rarely disappointing, but, lamentably, not reaching the highest standards of the appellation. 1986 is the youngest vintage to reveal amber and rust hues at the edge. A seaweed-like, smoky, herb, and olive-scented nose is followed by an austere, medium to full-bodied wine that is just beginning to shed its fruit and reveal signs of losing its balance. I would opt for consuming it over the next 2-3 years. Vieux-Telegraphe's wines are imported by Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524