Thunevin

Jean-Luc Thunevin became a celebrity in the wine world in less than a decade thanks to his highly acclaimed “garage wine,” Château Valandraud, in Saint-Émilion. It was likely during a tasting of Le Pin—a Pomerol from a small vineyard—that he first felt the desire to create an exceptional wine of his own. Thanks to his passion for wine, his tenacity, and his determination, he fulfilled his dream with the first vintage of Château Valandraud in 1991.

He then became the inspiration and pioneer for many other garage wines. All these micro-vintages, produced from low yields, yield concentrated wines. It is Murielle Andraud, his wife, who personally oversees the meticulous care given to the vines: pruning tailored to each vine, systematic leaf removal, and green harvesting to deliberately limit the number of clusters per vine to six. For his part, Jean-Luc Thunevin seeks the optimal ripeness of the grapes to begin the harvest; he has also adopted Burgundian techniques of punching down the cap and stirring the lees to achieve optimal concentration. The wines from the Thunevin estates are produced with a constant commitment to excellence and are full-bodied and ripe.

Over the course of these years of passionate work, Jean-Luc Thunevin has developed expertise and mastery that benefit numerous estates. He recently purchased Château Bellevue de Tayac in the Margaux appellation, as well as Le Clos du Beau Père (Pomerol) and Domaine des Sabines (Lalande de Pomerol).