Château Valandraud - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2000

Wine Advocate

95 / 100

byNeal Martinthe3/15/2017

Tasted at the Valandraud vertical at the property, the 2000 Valandraud has a very dark color with just a thin crimson rim. The bouquet is exquisite: intense black cherry and blackcurrant scents, sandalwood, cedar and spices, complex and involving, the aromatics appear to just grow and grow. The palate is medium-bodied with supple red and black fruit, fine tannins and perfect acidity. It feels backward but very tensile with a flow of energy towards the precise and deeply impressive finish. This is an outstanding millennial Saint Emilion from Jean-Luc Thunévin. Tasted December 2016.

Wine Advocate

94 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe6/1/2010

The fully mature, flamboyant, exuberant 2000 Valandraud offers beautiful notes of coffee, blackberries, sweet cherries, licorice, and smoke. Medium to full-bodied with a buffet of aromas and flavors as well as sweet tannin and a plush, succulent mouthfeel, this is a terrific effort from proprietor Thunevin. It should drink well for another 8-10 years.

La Revue du Vin de France

16,5 / 20

the12/1/2009

Un vin de style massif, avec de la fermeté et des tanins encore très présents. Il affiche une belle jeunesse et de la structure, mais ne possède pas le raffinement de texture des meilleurs. A conserver encore, car il pourrait bien gagner en harmonie.

Wine Advocate

93 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/2003

Jean-Luc Thunevin tends to be humble when he talks about his 2000, as if there were something wrong with it. Well, it is a spectacular wine, and having tasted it three times from bottle, I am in love with it. Dense purple-colored, with a glorious nose of espresso, cocoa, chocolate, plum, black currant, and cherry, offering a true smorgasbord of heavenly delights, this medium to full-bodied wine still shows some relatively firm tannin, but the low acidity, layered, multi-textured mouthfeel, and tremendous purity are hallmarks of the Thunevin winemaking style. However, this might be one Valandraud that actually needs 3-5 years of cellaring prior to drinking. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2019.

Wine Spectator

93 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe3/31/2003

This is really exciting, with dark chocolate, berry, grilled meat and cedar. Full-bodied and silky, with lovely berry and mineral character. Goes on for quite a while. Best from Valandraud yet. Best after 2008.

Wine Advocate

91-94 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe2/28/2002

I do not understand the stratospheric price of this wine, but there is no doubting its high quality. A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, the 2000 Valandraud offers up cascading aromas of camphor, smoke, blackberry and cherry fruit along with subtle oak. This impressively-endowed, pure, full-bodied offering possesses sweet tannin, a layered mouthfeel, and low acidity. It is a superb example from Jean-Luc Thunevin, the bete-noir of not only St.-Emilion, but Bordeaux. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2020. One-thousand cases were produced from Jean-Luc Thunevin's eight acre vineyard.

Wine Advocate

92-94 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/2001

I tasted the 2000 Valandraud on three separate occasions. While there were subtle differences, this is unquestionably a top wine. Proprietor Jean-Luc Thunevin appears to be aiming for a more elegant, measured style. A deep plum/purple color is accompanied by a sweet nose of black fruits, charcoal, earth, and smoke. Aromatically, it has the potential to be one of the most complex Valandrauds yet made. This medium to full-bodied, pure, harmonious Valandraud exhibits well-integrated, moderately-high tannin in the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2016 For statisticians, there are 1,000 cases from this 8-acre vineyard. The final blend is 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. .