Vieux Télégraphe and Brunier Family En Primeur

“a magnificent harvest” Manon Brunier

With Daniel Brunier now in semi-retirement, the iconic Châteauneuf-du-Pape domaine Vieux Télégraphe and its associated estates are in the hands of Manon, Nicolas and Édouard, the sixth generation of the family to run them. But Daniel still finds time to visit the UK, and we met him in early November to taste the 2025s. It is always a joy to talk wine with Daniel; his enthusiasm for the vintage is infectious. Of the wines, he says: “They are so much more than just fruit. There is balance, freshness and roundness.”

Upon tasting, we found the aromatics and fragrance most apparent. They are expressive and powerful straight off the bat, and the fruit spans red, blue and black, with a sapidity that draws you back for more without ever being heavy. The quality of the vintage is evident from the outset. They are approachable now, but the balance and complexity suggests a very long lifespan.

THE WEATHER

A year of two halves, 2025 was shaped by water and heat. After several dry years, a particularly wet winter and early spring proved a real blessing for the vineyards, as the soil’s water reserves were generously replenished. Summer was dry and ferociously hot, but the two conditions together were just what the vines needed, leading to what Manon Brunier calls “a magnificent harvest”.

“Old vines are the key to our success,” Daniel tells us. “The deep roots can find those water reserves in the soil.”

Harvest started around 25th of August for the whites and completed with Pallières at the end of September. Conditions were changeable for harvest, punctuated by rainfall but crucially, the grapes were in pristine condition and perfectly ripe.