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 yet with a touch of salinity and soft red and black fruit, it finishes with a hint of saltiness that makes for a tantalizing finish. This is a beautiful Virginie from Valandraud, the best I’ve tasted to date. It’s so easy to drink—it’s meant to be savored and shared with friends. ” (Decanter 2019) - Please note: very limited quantities available!
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Nose
A bouquet of dried lemon zest, pineapple, mimosa, almond, dried grass, and a hint of honey
Palate
Rich 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
High point
2028
Drink before
2038
Food and wine pairings
Enjoy it with smoked duck breast on toast, pigeon with porcini mushrooms and chestnuts, or a pheasant consommé
Bettane & Desseauve
Wine rated (2020 guide) 93/100
About the wine:
A beautifully silky texture that unfolds consistently from the first sip to the finish, with intensity and richness. The peppermint-tinged finish imparts a lovely tannic vitality.
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Estate 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 exceptional estates, often boasting fabulous terroirs, are must-haves that, thanks to their consistency and the excellence of their wines, deserve a place in the cellars of discerning wine lovers)
About the wine:
This wine opens with a woody aroma, followed by a juicy, unconventional body that reveals depth. The wine’s unrestrained fullness and richness showcase Virginie’s best qualities, and the warm growing season has done it a world of good.
About the estate:
“Founded 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 rise 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 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 draw enthusiasts to 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 description. 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
Wine rated (2020 guide) 93/100
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 oak aging and a touch of sweetness. The wine is charming, fruity, and fresh, with good structure.
Vert de Vin
Wine rated (2020 guide) 94/100 (Jonathan Choukroun Chicheportiche)
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. The palate 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 stick, 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
Wine rated (2019 guide) 92/100
About the wine:
Fresh and crisp, the nose of 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.
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