2018 | Château Valandraud | Virginie de Valandraud (Half Bottle)

The nose is elegant and offers power, a certain intensity (but full of finesse), density and a beautiful finesse of the grain. It reveals notes of cassis, toasted oak, small notes of wild blackberry associated with touches of strawberry, small fleshy blue fruits, grilled bread, lily as well as fine hints of pepper, spices, nutmeg, a very discreet hint of vanilla and an imperceptible hint of saffron.

Reviews:

• Wine Magazine: As always, excellently made, in a modern, international style, fiery and spicy, to be enjoyed young.

• VertdeVin: The nose is elegant and offers power, a certain intensity (but full of finesse), density and a beautiful finesse of the grain. It reveals notes of cassis, toasted oak, small notes of wild blackberry associated with touches of strawberry, small fleshy blue fruits, grilled bread, lily as well as fine hints of pepper, spices, nutmeg, a very discreet hint of vanilla and an imperceptible hint of saffron. The palate is fruity, mineral, well-balanced and offers a beautiful definition, precision, a small suavity, freshness, dynamism, a fine suavity, a good guideline, straightness as well as a beautiful finesse of the grain. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy cassis, juicy blackberry, small notes of fresh/juicy raspberry, associated with touches of violet/bright plum as well as hints of strawberry, chocolate, liquorice stick, very fine hints of violet, lily, chocolate and a subtle hint of tobacco/spices. Tannins are well-built, elegant, racy and structuring. A beautiful wine!

Producer Information

Château de Valandraud is a producer in Saint-Émilion classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé B. The Merlot-dominant grand vin is part of a relatively large portfolio which includes a number of red wines made from the classic Bordeaux blend, as well as a couple of white wines made from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. The estate was formed in 1989, when wine merchant Jean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud (who has been the fulltime winemaker since 2008) bought a 0.6-hectare (1.5-acre) plot of vines near Château Pavie Macquin. There are now 10 hectares (25 acres) of vines. Merlot is the predominant variety, followed by Cabernet Franc and small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Carmenère. The 2ha (5 acres) planted to white varieties are split evenly between Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Sauvignon Gris. Château de Valandraud is regarded as one of Bordeaux's pioneering "garagiste" wines, made in a richer, more international style than many other Bordeaux wines. It has attracted high prices in the region from the very beginning, despite its initial St Emilion Grand Cru status - a rather commonplace designation in this particular region. The wine came under the spotlight in 2002 when plastic sheeting was placed over 2ha of vines to protect from water damage, requiring a declassification to Vin de Table for that year. However, Valandraud's sustained quality was officially recognised with an upgrade in the 2012 Saint-Émilion Classification to Premier Grand Cru Classé B.

DISCLAIMER** This is a single item listing unless otherwise noted in the description. Retailer advises either in stock or in route to their location. Usually ships within one to four business days. Longer processing times may occur especially around holiday(s). Some items may become backordered or delayed without notice due to demand & will ship out upon arrival. Overseas 700ml products typically have longer processing/transit times. You can always verify product availability by calling 1-888-548-0333. Please refer to our cancellations & returns agreement or reach out to our support team at help@caskcartel.com for any additional questions.

Our dedicated team specializes in creating personalized shopping experiences. If you’re looking for a specific item or collection that isn’t appearing on our marketplace, please reach out to us at concierge@caskcartel.com or fill out the product inquiry form and one of our dedicated team members will be in touch.  Whether it’s a product you’ve experienced while traveling or a rare, hard to find item you’ve been searching for, we have an established global network of retailers with the ability to locate and source the rarest and hardest to find products.