Vieux Telegraphe, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Télégramme 2007 Tasted first at 11:15 on Friday morning, the nose featured cherries, strawberries, black pepper, sweet notes of vanilla and caramel as wells as the scent of the garrigue. In the mouth the wine showed medium plus structure and great length.
Tim Gaiser, Master Sommelier and Think Like a Genius Wine Master As we tasted Vieux Telegraphe’s Telegramme, Tim gave me a new window into how I process wine memories and how all of us can make those memories even stronger.
Tim asked me to be aware of and describe the pictures that came to mind. There it was, the cherry tree of my youth, in the side yard where I grew up in Pennsylvania. Then there was the black pepper, signified by a pepper mill, one that sits in our kitchen today. And of course, there is my memory of the garrigue, the scrubby bushes and herbs that dot the landscape of the southern Rhone and Provence, rosemary and more and the evocative smell.
Tim has collaborated with the Everyday Genius Institute to create a DVD and short program to enhance our ability to process the experience of wine. From my live experience with Tim, I have to say that it is not only appropriate for those on their first steps in the world of wine but also those of us who have been at it for decades. You can find it online for $69 at Amazon by searching for Think like a genius Wine Master.
I should add that we corked the bottle of Telegramme without gas and later at 8:00 p.m. that night, the sweet notes 
were even more obvious. In the mouth the structure still strutted with an obvious sense of the tannins and acidity but not in overwhelming way – rather just right. The length was great and I savored the wine with a New York, seasoned with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt, grilled on the barbecue on a most foggy of nights – awesome.
This is a great example of a second wine that reaches heights that other firsts don’t. It once again comes down to producer more than anything else. Those that care most deeply about their reputation make a good showing in both their top and second wines.
Mis par Brunier et fils a Bedarrides, 90% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre, mostly from the Plateau de la Crau from vines averaging 25 years old 14.5% $29.99 to $39.99 at a variety of retailers across the country, a sample provided by the trade.
