Chateau Valandraud 2018

Polished gourmet fruit right from the first nose, this is an accomplished and powerful Valandraud that has seductive and appealing notes of burnt caramel and pencil shavings set against rich black cherry and damson fruits. Clear ripeness through the finish, with full concentration of fruit. This is a big wine, confident and sure to please, but worth noting it's at a full 15.5%, higher than many in the vintage. 100% new oak.

This is really rich and intense with beautiful blackberry, violet and blueberry aromas that follow through to a full-bodied palate with extremely polished tannins that caress your palate. Love the texture and purity to the wine. Fantastic. Try after 2025.

The 2018 Valandraud packs a punch on the nose, delivering a complex array of scents: blackberry, raspberry, freshly picked violets and a touch of mint. The oak is beautifully integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins and commingled blue and blackberry fruit. Sweet and candied toward the finish, which has an almost Burgundian texture. Somehow quite Asian in style, with touches of hoisin on the aftertaste, this is a very classy and completely delicious Valandraud.

Inky dark in hue, the wine opens with a flamboyant perfume of licorice, barbecue smoke, black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, espresso and plum liqueur. On the palate, the wine is as rich as the color. Multi-layered, opulent, showy and intense, the wine gracefully coats your palate with waves of perfectly ripe, velvety textured, sweet dark fruits. 2018 is one of the best vintages of Valandraud produced yet. If you follow their wines, you know that is really saying something! This will age gracefully for at least 2-3 decades with ease.

Deep dark ruby, opaque core, violet tints, discreet bright rim. Attractive black forest berry, ripe cherries, a breath of noble wood, soft herbs and vanilla. Complex, juicy, ripe black berry fruit, round tannins, sweet extract on the finish, very good freshness and length, safe ageing potential.

Another head-turning wine from Jean-Luc is his 2018 Château Valandraud, which is mostly Merlot blended with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Its dense purple hue is followed by an incredible array of smoky black and blue fruits supported by notes of tobacco leaf, white chocolate, candied orange, and spice. This beauty has a deep, rich, powerful style yet holds onto a beautiful sense of purity and freshness, possessing ripe yet present tannins, plenty of textbook Saint-Emilion minerality, flawless balance, and a gorgeous finish. It reminds me of a slightly more approachable, elegant version of the 2016. Either way, it's rock star stuff. It can be drunk today with pleasure yet deserves 4-6 years of bottle age and will keep for 20-25+.

Kunz barrel sample 19: concentrated, powerful, dark, complex bouquet—black cherries, blackberries, dark chocolate, licorice, mocha cream, smoke. Opulent, broad, fruity, dense palate with concentrated fruit, fine sandy tannins, dark, powerful aromas at the edge of extraction, long, dry finish. Still has room to improve.

Concentrated, powerful, dark, complex bouquet: black cherries, blackberries, dark chocolate, licorice, mocha cream, smoke. Opulent, broad, fruity, dense palate with concentrated fruit, finely sandy tannins, dark, powerful aromatics on the verge of extraction, long, dry finish. Can improve further. 18/20 2025 - 2045

The 2018 Valandraud has a deep garnet-purple color. It opens with scents of tar and fertile loam, over a core of stewed cherries and plum preserves, plus a waft of tobacco and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is firm and grainy with taut, muscular fruit and a savory finish.

Immense color and sumptuous texture, thanks to remarkable mastery of tannin extraction and exemplary oak integration.

A hint of truffle, roasted notes, mocha, a touch of toast, and undergrowth... It’s all the fervor of Thunevin winemaking that shapes this vintage. Devilishly warm, with slightly sticky tannins.

Logo on the cork: CB Deep, dark purple color. Very aromatic and refined nose with ripe fruit. Broad on the attack, rich mid-palate, powerful, complex, juicy and opulent, the wine unfolds with length, slightly spicy and warm. Very good length.

This shows off a range of loganberry, black currant and fig notes that are enticing in feel thanks to racy acidity, while singed sandalwood, incense and bay details line the finish. Sneaky length too. Lovely. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. Best from 2023 through 2036. 2,915 cases made.

Bright opaque colour. Intense and profound nose with plenty of layers, discreet oak, smoke and mocha notes paired with ripe blackberry, cassis, dark cherry and pain d’épices plus some floral violet and lavender hints. Very dense and concentrated palate, with layers of unctuous dark fruit, crème de cassis paired with fine spices and a wealth of super fine cocoa powder-like tannin adding structure and length. Impressively long, pure and powerful finish. A flagrant example of haute couture winemaking, so young but so good.

96–98. Barrel Sample. A very fine vintage from this estate, this beautifully structured with rich tannins, spicy fruit and great concentration. The juicy acidity and power of the wine are impressive, giving firm tannins, great ripeness and a solid, concentrated texture.