Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape, 1988

I brought out the Pinot Noir glasses for this wine. Fine old Chateauneuf du Pape can smell and taste like fine old red Burgundy. And this 1988 Vieux Telegraphe certainly fits the profile.

Light brick red on a small pour. Not unexpected. From the time the cork is removed until I have my last sip two hours later, the bouquet is divine. And the flavors measure up plus plus. Wild cherries, sttrawberries, some herbal and vegetative notes. Very concentrated but oh so refined. Medium light body, silky smooth texture. Flavors that expand and change shape on the mid-palate and finish. Ripe fruit, suprisingly fresh 37 years after the vintage, countered by savory, salty complexity. Ranks in the top 10, maybe the top 5, of wines I have tasted over tbe last 45 years.