Superb, saturated dark ruby color. Knockout aromas of black raspberry, smoked duck and suave, smoky oak. Thick, sweet and velvety in the mouth; the fruit explodes with aeration, saturating those hard-to-reach places in the mouth. Really fabulous sweetness. A slightly roasted note suggests great ripeness (though I recall Thunevin telling me two years ago that this wine could have been even greater had he waited another few days to harvest!). Ultrasuave tannins are buried in a wave of fruit. One of the longest finishes of the vintage. Purists may argue that a wine like this cannot possible match such '95s as Latour or Margaux or Petrus for terroir character or class, but few wines can match the '95 Valandraud for sheer hedonistic pleasure.

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This splendid Valandraud ranks with the finest wines proprietor Jean-Luc Thunevin has produced since his debut 1991 vintage. The wine exhibits an opaque purple color, and a sensational nose of roasted herbs, black fruits (cherries, currants, and blackberries), and high class toasty oak (the latter component is more of a nuance than a dominant characteristic). Very concentrated, with layers of fruit, glycerin, and extract, yet seamlessly constructed, this wine contains the stuff of greatness, and appears to be the finest Valandraud yet produced. The finish lasts for over 30 seconds. The wine's high tannin is barely noticeable because of the ripeness and richness of fruit.

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In-your-face red with lots of character. New wave Bordeaux. Best Valandraud yet. Dark in color, with complex aromas of berry, violet and new wood. Full in body, with velvety tannins and a long aftertaste of vanilla, coffee and cherries. 950 cases made.

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