Virginie de Valandraud - Château de Valandraud

Jamessuckling.com

94 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe1/26/2021

Aromas of dark berries, dried violets, toasted hazelnuts, dark chocolate and coffee. It’s full-bodied with firm, powdery tannins. Muscular and intense, yet still tight. Try from 2026.

Vinous

91-93 / 100

byNeal Martinthe11/15/2019

The 2018 Virginie de Valandraud has a very intense and yet well defined bouquet on the nose with blackberry, raspberry coulis and cassis aromas, an undertow of vanillary oak coming through with aeration but never dominating. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent, saturated tannins counterbalanced by a fine bead of citric acidity. It feels very spicy towards the finish that completes a complex Virginie de Valandraud that should age with style.

WeinWisser

17 / 20

the5/7/2019

Jeb DUNNUCK

92-94 / 100

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/1/2019

The inky colored 2018 Virginie De Valandraud is a rounded, full-bodied Saint-Émilion from Jean-Luc Thunevin that offers tons of richness and depth, notes of chocolate-laced fruits, smoked herbs, and tobacco, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It’s a pleasure-bent beauty to drink over the coming 15 years or more.

Vinous

92-95 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe5/1/2019

The 2018 Virginie de Valandraud emerges from a collection of unclassed parcels around Valandraud and on the plains below the core holdings. Powerful, dense and explosive, with an almost shocking level of richness, the Virginie is positively stellar in 2018. Blackberry jam, chocolate, licorice, new spice and leather all saturate the palate in a Saint-Émilion endowed with tremendous textural richness and resonance. The Virginie is superb in 2018. It should be a terrific relative value as well.

Wine Advocate

91-93 / 100

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe4/23/2019

Deep purple-black in color, the 2018 Virginie de Valandraud opens a little broody with notes of damp soil, truffles and chargrill, opening up to display stewed plums, blackberry tart and plum preserves plus nuances of espresso, Marmite toast, tapenade and wild sage. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid frame of firm, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness lifting the rich, decadent fruit to a long finish.

Jamessuckling.com

92-93 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/12/2019

This is gorgeous with lots of dark berries, purple fruit and fresh mushrooms. Medium-to full-bodied with chewy tannins that are fine and polished. Lovely length.

Jean-Marc QUARIN

89 / 100

byJean-Marc Quarinthe4/8/2019

Wine Spectator

91-94 / 100

byJames Molesworththe4/3/2019

Offers ample fun fruit in the making, with waves of plum sauce, cassis and boysenberry reduction starting to roll in. Polished and easy in feel.

Decanter.com

93 / 100

byJane Ansonthe4/1/2019

Sinewy but with salinity and plush red and black fruits, this finishes with a twist of salinity that gives a mouthwatering finale. This is a beautiful Virginie de Valandraud, the best that I have tasted to date. It's just so drinkable, this is one to savour and share with friends. Valandraud now incorporates an extra 10ha in St Etienne de Lisse, so the estate is 40ha in total, with 9ha in the grand vin and the rest in this second wine.
Drinking Window 2027 - 2040