| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château de Valandraud
This may be the most prodigious wine Jean-Luc Thunevin and his partner Murielle Andraud have made to date. Inky purple to the rim at age ten, this wine’s explosive aromatics include espresso, chocolate, plum, blackberry and cassis. The oak is well-hidden behind an extravagant, full-bodied, multi-layered palate. Stunningly pure, super-intense and just beginning to move into middle adolescence, the “Bad Boy” of Bordeaux has produced a legend in 2005. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2035. Drink 2017-2035.
Tasted blind. Still some purple in the crimson. Sweet and creamy on the nose. Lots of pzazz on the palate. Still a lot of tannin on the end. But some evolved fruit too.
Drink 2016-2036
Saturated, deep ruby-red. Very complex aromas of plum, mocha, iron and minerals, lifted by a floral topnote. Wonderfully lush and smooth in the mouth, with fully ripe flavors of black raspberry, currant, licorice and mocha perfectly supported by ripe acidity. This boasts terrific balance and somehow manages to hide its 14.5% alcohol. Finishes impressively long, with big but thoroughly ripe tannins. The pH here is a very reasonable 3.6, notes Jean-Luc Thunevin. A splendid vintage for Valandraud, and likely to evolve slowly.
Came 89th out of 184 wines
Great body, magnificent and precise spicy nose, ample texture, great immediate impact, lively after-taste. Great wine made with dedication and perhaps more accomplished than the 1998 and 2000 vintages. Great future. Drink from 2015.
The 2005 Valandraud should turn out to be one of their greatest efforts. Although closed, it reveals phenomenal texture, a dense purple color, and a gorgeous bouquet of espresso, chocolate, sweet blackberry and currant fruit, and hints of lead pencil shavings and incense. With extraordinary purity, layers of concentration, full-bodied power, and elegance as well as symmetry, this stunning St.-Emilion should be at its peak between 2012-2030. The irrepressible de facto head of the garagiste movement, Jean-Luc Thunevin, along with his partner, Murielle Andraud, continue to achieve marvelous things at this estate, always pushing the envelope of quality.
A terrific effort from bad boy and leading garagiste, Jean-Luc Thunevin, and his sidekick, Murielle Andraud, the inky/blue/purple-tinged 2005 Valandraud exhibits superb aromas of graphite, black currants, blackberries, violets, white chocolate, sweet licorice, and espresso roast. Boasting great intensity, full-bodied power, beautiful purity, and layers of complexity, this stunning wine should be unusually long-lived. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025+.
Astounding. Intense aromas of crushed berries, violets and toasted oak. Full-bodied and wonderfully concentrated. Long and velvety. Out of the garage. Serious. Could be best ever here
Very dark crimson. Round and glossy even if not very intense. Dry end. Quite serious but a little bit too much extraction/tannin.
Exceptionally deep crimson. Great intensity and energy. 70 per cent Merlot, 25 per cent Cabernet Franc, 2.5 per cent Malbec, 2.5 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon. Very deep and bright and opulent. Very rich and broad and easy and lively. Complete and long, though dry on the finish. Very bright fruit and full of vitality - not overripe or overdone. Drink 2014-27.
