2021 Valandraud
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Tasting notes
Tasted blind. Darker crimson than most. Relatively rich nose. Sleek tannins are there in the background but it’s quite heavily extracted and the fruit only just distracts from the acidity. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Tasted on multiple occasions, the 2021 Château Valandraud is based on 85% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a serious wine in the vintage and has a dense purple hue to go with brilliant aromatics of ripe blackberries, currants, smoked tobacco, graphite, and an undeniable sense of minerality. This ripe, medium to full-bodied 2021 has a layered, balanced mouthfeel, nicely integrated background oak, more mid-palate depth than just about every other wine in the vintage, and a gorgeous finish. It will benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and drink well for 15+ years.
The 2021 Valandraud is quite backward on the nose, more-so than the Virginie at the moment, leaning toward red instead of black fruit. Loam and potpourri scents eventually emerge. The palate is medium-bodied with an uncharacteristically low-key entry, but the acidity is finely tuned and it feels elegant and natural. Not pushing too hard created a delicious Valandraud that will drink well for a number of years.
The 2021 Valandraud is sumptuous, dark and enveloping to the core, even it some of the underlying contours need time to soften. Black cherry, plum, mocha, new leather and spice gain intensity in the glass. The rich, heady style is classic Valandraud, tempered by the distinctive qualities of the 2021 vintage.
About the producer
One of the first garage wines, Ch. Valandraud was created by Jean-Luc Thunevin – Saint-Emilion’s “bad boy”. Today the style of the wine is much more restrained, and officially classified as a Premier Grand Cru Classé B estate.