Château Valandraud 2022

Smoky nose, deep, cool fireplace, herbs, lavender, lush cherry fruit, blueberries, tobacco; silky palate, compact, rich, sweet fruit, very fine tannins, opulent yet not overdone; the 15.5% alcohol is barely noticeable; the finish is very long with plenty of salinity. A powerful wine with a Rubenesque figure that remains elegant. It will age beautifully.

Alluring singed alder and black tea accents lead the way, followed by a dense core of steeped blackberry and black currant fruit. A swath of licorice root, warm earth and tobacco coats the finish, with the fruit keeping pace. Lengthy and velvety in feel, this is almost approachable now. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2026 through 2040. 3,300 cases made.

At 15.5% there’s no getting around that this is one of the highest alcohols among the 2022s, but it works very well with the vintage, offering a heady, concentrated nose followed by a powerful yet sleek palate profile. Really juicy and alive, the acidity is brilliant and lifts the red-berry fruit flavors, with chalky tannins adding intensity toward the finish. There are flashes of heat, but also cooling minerality and salty touches, without any overt toastiness, which is so pleasant. I tasted this a little colder — cellar-cold — and I think that really works in its favor. Gorgeous purity, finesse, and approachability.

A rich, glossy Valandraud delivered in a plush but polished mode. Showing lots of new wood, cocoa nibs, mocha, espresso and pine cones to the dense blackberries and a touch of roasted red peppers. Full with immense concentration, this has compact fruit and bold, dusty tannins. You hardly catch the high alcohol here with such intensity. Balanced at a high pitch. Big, voluptuous but beautiful too. 36,200 bottles made. Give it three more years to let the wood spices integrate. Drink from 2028.

The showy nose delivers its array of licorice, camphor, incense, espresso, blackberries, and blueberries effortlessly. The wine is rich, creamy, and frankly luxurious as it caresses your palate with waves of smooth, polished, velvety fruits. And, even with all this concentration, density, and intensity, the wine has enough lift and freshness to feel almost light on its feet! This represents a new level of quality for Valandraud, and that's saying something. The wine blends 88% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2027-2055.

Deep dark ruby in colour with an opaque core, purple reflections, and subtle brightening on the rim. On the nose, an inviting bouquet of nuanced fine oak, dark wild berries, fresh cherry, hints of nougat and orange zest. The juicy palate is elegant, finely structured, silky, and balanced, with delicate fine cherry and plum fruit, showing both great length and delicacy. Very compelling with certain ageing potential.

The 2022 Château Valandraud is sensational, offering a massive array of blackcurrants, chocolate, smoked tobacco, baking spices, and truffly earth. Full-bodied and deeply layered, it has a velvety mouthfeel, polished tannins, and remarkable purity. It reminds me of a hypothetical blend of the 2020 and 2019. Based on 85% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, it was vinified and aged 22 months in new barrels. It will evolve gracefully for 20-30 years.

Inky plum in colour, it opens with an immediate caress of supple tannins with violet, rose and peony, liquorice root, textured, rich but reserved with a tug of graphite, slate and crayon. This is a really impressive Valandraud, excellent quality, clearly decades of ageing ahead of it. Jean-Luc Thunevin owner, harvest September 15 to October 5, 100% new oak.

A refined, aristocratic, captivating nose revealing dazzling fresh fruit with striking depth. On the palate, volume, a caressing texture and, above all, superb energy that drives the wine forward with verve, followed by that chalky freshness of ultra‑silky tannins. On the finish, a subtle touch of mocha perfects the whole. A wine of great class.

As I inhale the bouquet of Valandraud, images flood my mind, stirring dreams, cravings for Panettone, childhood memories, and cherry cakes filling the whole house! This Valandraud is devoted to pleasure and charm, with the ambition to stay true to the course it has followed since its creation. On the palate, the wine surprises with its restraint, its sleek attack, and a suave touch. Its tannins reveal themselves slowly, step by step, imparting an inestimable power, almost imperceptible yet so evident. The coherence on display is impressive; the rest is a matter of interpretation and taste. A compelling, bewitching, seductive, persistent wine. Simply delicious.

Black color. Very aromatic nose, fruity, ripe, subtle, and slightly smoky. The palate shows refined tannins, juicy, flavorful, and perfumed, with classy texture and a unique airy dimension. Everything melts together—precise, rich, savory, and impossible to spit. Superb! Blend: 88% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. Alcohol: 15.3% – pH: 3.55.

This solid wine wears its alcohol well. It has structure as well as density and concentration. Black fruits and dark tannins go with the wine's richness. The black fruit aroma sets the scene for this impressive wine from the original Bordeaux garagiste. Drink from 2029.