Virginie de Valandraud - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2022

Alexandre Ma

93

byAlexandre Mathe3/10/2025

Despite being made from 60% Sémillon, this wine manages to express exceptional acidity in the hot 2022 vintage, highlighting the charm of its limestone terroir. The naturally low pH brings a refreshing quality to the full-bodied wine, offering a sense of crispness from the first taste. Fragrances of beeswax, amber, salted bean blossoms, and syrupy pears gradually unfold, lifted gently by the mineral notes, effortlessly conveying its refined elegance.

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

93

byJane Ansonthe3/7/2025

Brilliant quality Virginie, has so much grain and depth, this is one to recommend. Black cherry, saffron, white pepper, sage, mint leaf, espresso, opulent but with fresh juice running right through it. Harvest 12 to 29 September.

The Wine Cellar Insider

93

byJeff Levethe3/4/2025

Valandraud, Virginie de

Jeb DUNNUCK

94

byJeb Dunnuckthe2/28/2025

Based on 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2022 Virginie De Valandraud is a smoking good wine, offering layers of blackberries, currants, tobacco, and chocolate. Full-bodied and rich, it has a deep, velvety texture, terrific overall balance, and serious depth. Vinified and aged 20 months in new barrels, it will evolve nicely for 15+ years with ease.

Yvesbeck.wine

95

byYves Beckthe2/25/2025

85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon Le charme du bouquet incarne la symbiose entre des nuances de bois frais, de chocolat, de baies noires mûres et de réglisse. En bouche, le vin est soyeux, élégant, crémeux, caressant et, évidemment, invitant. Ses tannins agissent en coulisse, subtilement. Ils confèrent de la puissance et de l'énergie communément avec une fine austérité qui assure une touche saline en finale. Un vin charmant, élégant, entrainant et redemandant. Que du bonheur ! 2026-2038 95/100

Vinous

92

byNeal Martinthe2/12/2025

The 2022 Virginie de Valandraud presents an intense bouquet of blackberry, briar and a hint of rosemary that emerges with time. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and graphite-infused black fruit, offering tension and energy on the finish. It deserves 3-4 years in the bottle to reach its full potential. Gains delineation with aeration.

Jamessuckling.com

95

byJames Sucklingthe2/3/2025

Walnuts, blackberries and roasted spices with a touch of cedar and dark chocolate. Almost full-bodied, this has a flavorful center palate and a dense, lengthy finish. Dusty tannins aplenty. Plush, voluptuous and judiciously made. Drink from 2027.

Vinous

91

byAntonio Gallonithe1/28/2025

The 2022 Virginie de Valandraud is a dense wine. Blackberry, espresso, licorice, chocolate and sweet spice are all dialed up to the maximum. The intense heat of the growing season is evident in the wine's flavor profile and structural feel. The Virginie is rich, flashy, brash and assertive, like a misbehaved child.

Wine Maniacs

93-94

byLin Liuthe5/30/2023

Decanter.com

94

byGeorgina Hindlethe5/25/2023

Smells floral and lifted on the nose, pretty and pure, perfumed. Sleek and crisp, gorgeous personality and liveliness, bite and tang but such control and cool freshness. Really such excellent tannins, smooth but giving definition and weight to the palate with creaminess and chalkiness that is so appealing. Feels fairly serious and concentrated but so finessed. A beautiful wine, crunchy, sleek, forward, expressive and so utterly drinkable with freshness and a minty, wet stone, liquorice tang on the finish. Tension is apparent, it's still straight, but there's gorgeous potential. Harvest 12-29 September. Ageing 18-24 months, 100% new oak. 3.7pH. Production: 60,000 bottles.

Vinous

91-93

byNeal Martinthe5/17/2023

The 2022 Virginie de Valandraud was picked 12-29 September and matured entirely in new oak. This is well-defined on the nose with dark plum, boysenberry jam and light raspberry confit aromas. It feels nicely composed. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, saturated tannins. Quite peppery in style, this is well balanced with a liberal sprinkling of cracked black pepper on the finish. It will require 4-5 years to soak up that oak, but it will be worth waiting for.

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

88

byJane Ansonthe5/16/2023

Honeysuckle, apricot, citrus, plenty of intensity and structure, this has character and a sleek texture, with a flash of heat through the finish. Athanase Fakorellis wine consultant, Jean-Luc Thunevin owner.

The Wine Independent

91-93

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe5/15/2023

A blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, with a pH of 3.7, the deep garnet-purple colored 2022 Virginie de Valandraud shoots from the glass with bold notions of black cherry compote, wild blueberries, and plum preserves, followed by hints of Chinese five spice and dusty soil. Full-bodied, the palate is bright and expressive, with a plush texture and a long, spicy finish.

Yvesbeck.wine

92-94

byYves Beckthe5/10/2023

Si le focus de Jean-Luc Thunevin est souvent orienté vers des vins charmants, invitants, le caractère de ce vin se détache de cette approche ! Ainsi, il révèle des nuances de griottes et de réglisse, suivies d'une touche crayeuse. Le vin est friand, crémeux, invitant et soutenu par des tannins suaves qui assurent les arrières et confèrent une belle énergie en finale. Un vin qui mérite un peu d'épanouissement. Le bouquet annone la fraîcheur, le palais du charme et la finale est équilibrée !

Bettane & Desseauve

91-92

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/10/2023

55 % de sémillon et 45 % de sauvignon blanc donnent la tendance de l’assemblage à la fois énergique et bien en place.

Jeb DUNNUCK

92-95

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/10/2023

The 2022 Château Valandraud Virginie De Valandraud is gorgeous and certainly merits considerable attention, even though the Grand Vin will get all the buzz. A blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in new barrels, it has a vivid purple hue as well as a pure, layered, medium to full-bodied style that's already hard to resist. Cassis, violets, flowers, and graphite define the aromatics, and it has the vintage's riper, structured profile while staying balanced, lively, and pure.

Vinous

92-94

byAntonio Gallonithe5/9/2023

The 2022 Virginie de Valandraud is a very serious wine taken from parcels Jean-Luc Thunevin does not use for his other Saint-Émilions. Deep and explosive, the 2022 offers up copious dark fruit, espresso, licorice, chocolate, incense and spice. This rich, deep red is an absolute winner. Drinking window : 2025-2037

The Wine Cellar Insider

92-94

byJeff Levethe5/5/2023

Flowers, black cherries, licorice, plums, cherries, and blackberries open the nose. The palate is even better with its elegant nature, layers of sweet, black and red pit fruits, energy, and vibrant endnotes with its sweetness in the fruits and gentle, refreshing note of mint on the backend. The wine blends 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.14.5% ABV, 3.7 pH. Drink from 2025-2042.

Jamessuckling.com

94-95

byJames Sucklingthe4/19/2023

Beautiful and classy white with medium to full body and toned, lengthy acidity that gives it energy and tightness. Firm structure with stoney minerality. Pretty structure to this. Half sauvignon blanc and half semillon.