Valandraud 2020

The 2020 Valandraud is a stunner. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2020 possesses dazzling intensity from start to finish. Silky tannins wrap around a core of plush dark red/black fruit, licorice, spice, mocha and new leather. Even with all of its intensity, the 2020 is bright and wonderfully focused. Sweet floral and blood orange accents liven up the explosive finish. Magnificent.

Score: 98 Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2060 Date: 23 February 2023

The 2020 Valandraud is impressive. Inky, deep and exquisitely layered, it possesses tremendous richness in every dimension. crème de cassis, chocolate, licorice, new leather, spice and lavender build as the 2020 gains volume in the glass. Silky and plush, with magnificent balance, this is shaping up to be one of the wines of the year. A magnificent effort from Muriel Andraud and Jean-Luc Thunevin. Superb. Tasted two times.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2034-2050 Date: 01 June 2021

This is excellent, broad-shouldered with ample depth to the brambled fruits, liquorice, cigar box spice, with a gorgeously saline finish. Chalky, grippy tannins keep tugging you back into the body of the wine. The tannic grip is helped by a linen rather than silk texture that stops things being overly smooth and instead adds depth and interest to the powerfully knitted body, as do white flowers on the aromatics as it opens. Good stuff. 100% new oak for 24 months. A yield of 49hl/ha. Thunevin has sold a 50% stake in Valandraud to the Lefevre family at Sansonnet (also the new owners of Villemaurine, so a busy year for them).

Score: 96 Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2029 - 2046 Date: 20 May 2021

The 2020 Valandraud has a deep purple hue and delivers an intense bouquet of lush blackberry, raspberry, cassis and crushed violet aromas, all beautifully defined. The palate is very well balanced with a sensual opening. This’ll have you smitten from the first sip: silky-smooth with immense depth and harmony. There is tension and precision from start to finish. This 2020 continues a startling run of form by Jean-Luc Thunevin, this representing one of his crowning achievements to date. Chapeau!

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027 - 2050 Date: 28 May 2021

Winemaker Jean-Luc Thunevin has hit a home run in the vintage, and his 2020 Château Valandraud is unquestionably up with the crème de la crème out there. Made in a ripe, sexy, plush style, it brings an incredible amount of ripe black fruit, chocolate, vanilla, espresso, and leafy herb-like aromas and flavors. This carries to a full-bodied, powerful Saint-Emilion that somehow stays weightless and graceful on the palate, with moderate acidity, ripe tannins, and a great, great finish.

Score: 97 - 99 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Date: 25 May 2021

Full, embossed bottle 1,360 g. Undated cask sample. 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 24 months in 100% new oak! Lustrous blackish purple. Strong nose of charred meat. This is distinctive all right… Very intense, concentrated sweet purple-fruit flavours. Cassis compote? Chock-full of ambition though the acidity on the finish makes it a less comfortable drink than many of its peers. It seems all scrunched up with ambition with a rather drying finish. It may well flower beautifully eventually but it's at a much more embryonic phase than many of its peers. Rather Pavie-ish at this point.

Score: 16+ Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Date: 09 May 2021