The nose is fruity, racy and offers power, concentration, a fine richness and a fine grain. It reveals notes of ripe cassis, blueberry and small notes of small wild black fruits associated with touches of gray pepper, violet, liquorice, sweet spices and very discreet hints of Bourbon vanilla.
Reviews:
- Wine Enthusiast: The second wine of Château Valandraud, this has many of the rich, powerful characteristics of the first wine. Its tannins and powerful black fruits shine through, as does elegance and a poise between richness and freshness. Drink the wine from 2023.
- VertdeVin: The nose is fruity, racy and offers power, concentration, a fine richness and a fine grain. It reveals notes of ripe cassis, blueberry and small notes of small wild black fruits associated with touches of gray pepper, violet, liquorice, sweet spices and very discreet hints of Bourbon vanilla. The palate is fruity, well-balanced and offers a juicy/acidulous frame, precision, a fine tension as well as fat. On the palate this wine expresses notes of fleshy cassis, fleshy blackberry and small notes of raspberry associated with a touch of crushed cherry, violet, liquorice/cola as well as very discreet hints of roasted almond and vanilla pod. Tannins are elegant and structuring. A very discreet chew on the persistence. A beautiful wine!
Producer Information
Château de Valandraud is a producer in Saint-Émilion classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé B. The Merlot-dominant grand vin is part of a relatively large portfolio which includes a number of red wines made from the classic Bordeaux blend, as well as a couple of white wines made from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. The estate was formed in 1989, when wine merchant Jean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud (who has been the fulltime winemaker since 2008) bought a 0.6-hectare (1.5-acre) plot of vines near Château Pavie Macquin. There are now 10 hectares (25 acres) of vines. Merlot is the predominant variety, followed by Cabernet Franc and small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Carmenère. The 2ha (5 acres) planted to white varieties are split evenly between Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Sauvignon Gris. Château de Valandraud is regarded as one of Bordeaux’s pioneering “garagiste” wines, made in a richer, more international style than many other Bordeaux wines. It has attracted high prices in the region from the very beginning, despite its initial St Emilion Grand Cru status – a rather commonplace designation in this particular region. The wine came under the spotlight in 2002 when plastic sheeting was placed over 2ha of vines to protect from water damage, requiring a declassification to Vin de Table for that year. However, Valandraud’s sustained quality was officially recognised with an upgrade in the 2012 Saint-Émilion Classification to Premier Grand Cru Classé B.
