Château Valandraud
About Château Valandraud
The current succession of exceptional wines produced by this Premier Grand Cru Classé B is the result of something of a career pivot. Owner Jean-Luc Thunevin was a highly successful négociant in the most important fine wine region on Earth until 1989, when he purchased a small 0.6-hectare plot of land close to Château Pavie Macquin with his wife Murielle Andraud. This was followed by another 1.6-hectare plot further East to forge Château Valandraud - a contraction of “Val”, from Vallon de Fongaban where the vines are planted, and of course Murielle’s surname “Andraud”.
Valandraud is an estate that has had to work very hard indeed for its fabulous success. With almost no capital to spend on facilities in the early vintages, Murielle crafted barely 100 cases of wine from their 2.2 hectares in a borrowed garage – this was the original “garagiste” wine!
Things have changed dramatically over the past decades, and Château Valandraud has expanded in both its vineyard holdings and winemaking facilities. Today, 9 hectares are planted with 65% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec. With no imperious castle designating their base of operations on their behalf, Jean-Luc and Murielle were free to purchase only the best, wherever that may have been dotted across the appellation. As a result, the estate encompasses a huge variety of Right-Bank terroirs, from thick clay to hard limestone.
Branded by the powers that be in the 1990s as something of an enfant terrible, Jean-Luc retains an air of rebellion that pervades the style of his and his wife’s wines to this day. Rallying against the monolithic, austere wines of Bordeaux which, one assumes, he had himself been finding hard to sell as a négociant, from the very first vintage it was clear that Valandraud would be in the vanguard of fresher, riper and more approachable Bordeaux full of life and character. As certain as night follows day, style changes and this deeply concentrated yet the generous style is the norm and Valandraud has ascended to its rightful place in the official St-Émilion classification system.
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Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (VN (AG)) | د.إ13,045.00 | |||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)The 2005 Valandraud is off the charts. Easily one of the wines of the vintage, the 2005 Valandraud possesses tremendous richness from start to finish. Moreover, it has aged exquisitely. Inky red fruit, iron, smoke, dried herbs, menthol, licorice and blood orange infuse the 2005 with striking layers of nuance to play off all that unctuous fruit. This full-throttle Saint-Émilion is a prodigious effort from Jean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 98+ (JD) | د.إ2,955.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (98+)Including 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the Merlot-dominated 2016 Château Valandraud is a brilliant example of this cuvée that should match or exceed the incredible 2015 at maturity. Brought up all in new oak, its deep purple color is followed by a powerful bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, smoked earth, and hints of earth. Possessing full-bodied richness, thrilling purity of fruit, ripe tannins, and just about perfect balance, it's another tour de force from the incredibly talented Jean-Luc Thunevin. It's slightly more elegant than the L'Interdit de Valandraud cuvée and will benefit from short-term cellaring and cruise for two decades or more. |
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Bordeaux | 2 | 98 (JD) | د.إ1,815.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (98)Ripe black fruits, graphite, chocolate, and spicy herbs define the 2019 Château Valandraud, a round, supple, lush, and layered beauty that's still deep purple-hued and incredibly youthful, yet oh, so satisfying and seductive. Full-bodied, rich, and opulent on the palate, it has sweet tannins, no hard edges, and a tremendous finish. This is a powerful, truly Grand Vin that will shine for another 30 years if well stored. Drink 2026-2056. |
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Bordeaux | 4 | 99 (JS) | د.إ1,555.00 | |||||
James Suckling (99)Very opulent and expressive aromas of black fruit and pine needles. So floral. Full-bodied with plush, velvety tannins and lots of fruit and texture. It goes on for minutes. Rich at the finish, but remains fresh and vivid. Superb. One of the great Valandrauds. Drink after 2027. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 96 (JA) | د.إ2,590.00 | |||||
Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (96)One of the most successful wines of the vintage. Welcoming aromatics, carefully handled, creamy raspberry and blackberry fruits, gentle toasted pine nuts and cigar box smoke. You still get the lemongrass, slate tannins and acidites that are so signature to 2021, but also a sense of pull-and-push movement of the fleshy but fresh fruits through the palate, and hidden power. Good stuff. This is a vintage where you need the warm hug of a softly smoked oak barrel, and Thunevin knows how to administer it. 29hl/h yield, 3.5ph. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 94 (VN (AG)) | د.إ923.00 | |||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)The 2018 Virginie de Valandraud is superb. Silky, pliant and expressive, the 2018 is wonderfully caressing right out of the gate. Crushed red berry fruit, mocha, spice and new leather all meld together effortlessly. From bottle, the 2018 is more refined and delicate than it was from barrel, and every bit as compelling. The Virginie is made from a collection of unclassed parcels around Valandraud and on the plains below the core holdings. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 95 (JD) | د.إ923.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (95)Mostly Merlot (there's roughly 20% Cabernet Franc), the 2019 Château Valandraud Virginie De Valandraud from the Thunevin team reveals a deep purple hue to go with a brilliant nose of spiced currants, black cherries, new saddle leather, Provençal herbs, and subtle floral nuances. It's rich, medium to full-bodied, and flawlessly balanced on the palate, with gorgeous tannins and a great finish. It's the finest vintage for this cuvée I've tasted, surpassing the 2015, 2016, and 2018. It's going to drink brilliantly for 20 years or more. |
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