The 2004 Vieux Mas des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape (the second wine of Vieux Telegraphe), which is aged in tank and old wood foudres, is a blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre. Notes of strawberries and cherries jump from the fresh, vibrant bouquet. Medium-bodied and pretty, with surprisingly high alcohol (15.3%), this wine should be drunk over the next 3-4 years. Importers: Vieux Telegraphe and Pigoulet: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524; Chateau La Roquette: Diageo Chateau Estate Wines, New York, NY; tel. (212) 419-1400

The 2003 Vieux Mas des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape is a fleshy, but somewhat dry, tannic wine with hints of old saddle leather, a relatively shallow, medium-ruby color, nice spice, and sweet cherry/strawberry notes. The hardness in the finish may prove troublesome with another 2-3 years of bottle-age. I would drink it up. Importers: Vieux Telegraphe and Pigoulet: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524; Chateau La Roquette: Diageo Chateau Estate Wines, New York, NY; tel. (212) 419-1400

Produced from the estate’s younger vines, the second wine, the 2001 Le Vieux Mas des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape, is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Mourvedre. This fruit-driven offering reveals hints of ripe apricots and jammy cherries in a medium to full-bodied, open-knit, luscious style meant to be consumed during its first 7-8 years of life. The 2002 will probably merit a score in the low-eighties when bottled. Called “Telegraphe,” it represents only 50% of the estate’s production, nearly all of it Grenache. It is a surprisingly tasty effort, as is the 2002 white Vieux-Telegraphe, which has been declared. I rated it 89, and it was one of the finest 3 or 4 dry whites I tasted in Chateauneuf du Pape from this vintage. Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524

Vieux-Telegraphe's second wine, Le Vieux Mas des Papes, is a 5,000-case blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Mourvedre culled from the grand vin. Most of the vines are under twenty years of age. The medium dark ruby-colored 1999 Les Vieux Mas des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape exhibits plenty of peppery, spicy, Provencal herb, and black cherry fruit. Medium-bodied, open-knit, elegant, and cleanly made, it should drink well for a decade. Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 524-1524

The 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape is a broad, concentrated, seductive offering with abundant quantities of black cherry jam intermixed with licorice, smoke, and spice box. Ripe, medium to full-bodied, and plush, it is best consumed over the next 7-9 years. This wine represents 20% of Vieux-Telegraphe's total production. Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 524-1524