Virginie de Valandraud Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2018 - Second vin

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

A beautifully silky texture that unfolds consistently from the beginning to the end of the palate, with intensity and richness. The peppermint-tinged finish imparts a lovely tannic vitality.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the estate:

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

This wine opens with a woody nose, then reveals a juicy, unconventional body with depth. The wine’s unrestrained fullness and body showcase the best of Virginie’s profile, which benefits from the warm growing season.

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 mobility of Bordeaux’s Right Bank can offer. Built from a single hectare of vineyards in Saint-Émilion, the estate—which now covers 10 hectares in the commune of Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse—has established itself as one of Bordeaux’s most expensive and sought-after wines. The strong personality of its owner and, above all, his keen business acumen have played a major role in this success. But today, it is the contents of the Valandraud bottle that draw in enthusiasts of this astonishing, exotic wine—sensual upon release and one that also ages exceptionally well. While it was once the leader of the “garage wine” movement, Valandraud no longer fits that category. Nevertheless, the methods have not changed; the vineyard remains one of the best-maintained in Bordeaux, and the wine continues to benefit from all of Jean-Luc Thunevin’s expertise.”

Yves Beck

About the wine:

An inviting, complex bouquet revealing notes of coffee, caramel, and thyme. Hints of graphite emerge upon aeration, followed by notes of blackberries. On the palate, it is dense and creamy, with hints of its aging process and a certain sweetness. The wine is charming, fruity, fresh, and well-supported by its structure.

Vert de Vin

About the wine:

The nose is elegant and offers power, a certain intensity (yet with finesse), density, and a lovely, refined texture. It features notes of blackcurrant, toasted oak, and, more subtly, wild blackberry, combined with hints of strawberry, plump blueberries, toast, and lily, as well as subtle hints of pepper, spices, nutmeg, a very subtle hint of vanilla, and an imperceptible hint of saffron. On the palate, it is fruity, mineral, and balanced, offering lovely definition, precision, a touch of smoothness, as well as freshness, vibrancy, a delicate smoothness, good structure, integrity, and a lovely fine-grained texture. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy, juicy blackcurrant, juicy blackberry, and, to a lesser extent, fresh, juicy raspberry, combined with hints of vibrant purple plum, as well as hints of strawberry, chocolate, licorice root, very subtle hints of violet, lily, chocolate, and a subtle hint of tobacco and spices. The tannins are well-integrated, elegant, refined, and provide structure. A lovely wine!

Anthocyanes - Yohan Castaing

About the wine:

Fresh and crisp, the nose of this Virginie de Valandraud remains floral and fresh. The palate is full-bodied and juicy, with lovely velvety tannins, depth, and volume. A truly excellent bottle of Virginie de Valandraud at its very best.