Virginie de Valandraud Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2018 - Second vin
94/100
Vert de Vin
93/100
RVF
93/100
Bettane & Desseauve
93/100
Yves Beck
92/100
Anthocyanes - Yohan Castaing
"Lively but with salinity and mellow red and black fruits, it finishes with a touch of salinity that gives it an enticing finish. This is a beautiful Virginie de Valandraud, the best I've tasted to date. It's so drinkable, it's to be savored and shared with friends. (Decanter 2019) - Please note, very limited quantities available!
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Nose
Bouquet consisting of dried lemon zest, pineapple, mimosa, almond, dried grass, and a hint of honey
Mouth
Dense and creamy on the palate. The wine is charming, fruity, fresh, and well supported by its structure.
Serve
At 16-18°C
Open
1 hour before
Drink from
2025
Apogee
2028
Drink before
2038
Food and wine pairings
Enjoy with smoked duck breast on toast, pigeon with porcini mushrooms and chestnuts, or pheasant consommé.
Bettane & Desseauve
Wine rated (2020 guide) 93/100
About wine:
A beautiful silky texture that unfolds consistently from start to finish, with intensity and generosity. The finish, marked by peppermint, brings back a lovely tannic vitality.
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Rated Recommended (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate)
About the estate:
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Wine rated (2022 guide) 93/100
Rated estate (2013 guide) 2 stars (These very large estates, often blessed with fabulous terroirs, are must-haves which, thanks to their consistency and the excellence of their production, deserve a place in the cellars of discerning wine lovers).
About wine:
A woody nose for a wine that then reveals a juicy and unconventional fleshiness in its depth. The wine's unrestrained fullness and body bring out the best in Virginie, which has benefited from the warm year.
About the estate:
Created from scratch by Jean-Luc Thunevin and his wife Muriel in the early 1990s, Valandraud is a remarkable success story, the kind that only the social ladder of the right bank can offer in Bordeaux. Built on a single hectare of vines in Saint-Emilion, the estate, which now covers 10 hectares in the commune of Saint-Etienne-de-Lisse, has established itself as one of the most expensive and sought-after in Bordeaux. The strong character of its owner and, above all, his keen business sense have played a major role in this success. But today, it is the contents of the Valandraud bottle that attract lovers of this astonishing, exotic wine, which is sensual at birth and also ages very well. Although it was the leader of the garage wine movement, Valandraud is no longer the size it once was. Nevertheless, the methods have not changed; the vineyard remains one of the best maintained in Bordeaux and the wine continues to benefit from Jean-Luc Thunevin's expertise.
Yves Beck
Wine rated (2020 guide) 93/100
About wine:
An inviting, complex bouquet revealing notes of coffee, caramel, and thyme. Hints of graphite upon aeration and, finally, notes of blackberries. Dense and creamy on the palate, where I find hints of aging and a certain sweetness. The wine is charming, fruity, fresh, and well supported by its structure.
Vert de Vin
Wine rated (2020 guide) 94/100 (Jonathan Choukroun Chicheportiche)
About wine:
The nose is elegant and powerful, with a certain intensity (yet refined), density, and a lovely finesse of grain. There are notes of blackcurrant, toasted oak and, more subtly, wild blackberry, combined with hints of strawberry, fleshy blue berries, toast, lily, as well as subtle hints of pepper, spices, nutmeg, a very discreet hint of vanilla and an imperceptible hint of saffron. The palate is fruity, mineral, balanced and offers a lovely definition, precision, a little smoothness as well as freshness, dynamism, a fine smoothness, good structure, straightforwardness and a lovely finesse of grain. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy blackcurrant, juicy blackberry and, more subtly, fresh/juicy raspberry, combined with hints of bright purple plum and hints of strawberry, chocolate, licorice stick, very subtle hints of violet, lily, chocolate, and a subtle hint of tobacco/spices. The tannins are well-balanced, elegant, racy, and structuring. A lovely wine!
Anthocyanes - Yohan Castaing
Wine rated (2019 guide) 92/100
About wine:
Fresh and pure, the nose of Virginie de Valandraud remains floral and fresh. Full-bodied and juicy on the palate, with beautiful velvety tannins, density, and volume. A very fine bottle for a Virginie de Valandraud at its best.
Discover other wines from the estate