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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.3 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 24 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by sirpat00 on 12/4/2023 & rated 93 points: Valandrau vertical (1991-2020) (Fribourg): Selected tasting notes from a complete Valandraud vertical (1991-2020) hosted by a collector with an estate representative. Main observation was that both the work the estate did during the transition phase 2000-2012 is clearly bearing fruit in more recent vintages, further helped by warmer growing seasons that are favorable for this cool site in St Emillon. Additional comments included in the tasting story.
Tasting note:
This was decanted. Red cherry fruit coupled with raspberry and sweet sugar-coated candy elements. Also dried leaves, a mineral layer of graphite and fine cedar wood. Fresh and linear acidity, firm but ripe tannin, nice presence and good length. (458 views) | | | Tasted by Andice on 4/30/2021 & rated 91 points: Big burly and slight alcohol heat even after 2 decades. But quality of (very sweet) fruit beneath makes this a good sip nonetheless. Borderline overripe but well made in that style. Improved w air (1356 views) | | | Tasted by Kwlharvey on 11/10/2018: Decant for 3 hours. Resolved tanin. Well structured. Strong and upfront. Dark fruit. Nothing to fault. (2035 views) | | | Tasted by dcwino on 6/18/2018 & rated 90 points: Excellent concentration, concentrated ripe black fruit, mocha, vanilla and earth. There is a hint of green which is surprising. Excellent concentration, simple but concentrated black fruit, good acidity, chewy oak tannins and a medium finish that clips due to coarse oak tannins. The oak tannins is really bothersome. I am not sure how this will age. The fruit expression is simple. (3298 views) | | | Tasted by Fid on 11/6/2017 & rated 93 points: PnP Saturday at Il Pastaio after a 2003 Cos d'Estournel. Very enjoyable, fun wine. Needs time though. (3726 views) | | | Tasted by wineappellation on 1/19/2017 & rated 95 points: Solid, powerful, seamless and ultra focus. Mixed ripe black and red berries paste, violet, integrated oak, cedar, prune, leather, hint of game, tar and sandalwood incence. Excellent acidity with noticeable ripe chewy tannins. Layered and so long. (3730 views) | | | Tasted by Pacalet on 3/9/2013 & rated 92 points: Dark opaque in color, nose of dark berries, slight vanilla oak and mint. Medium plus palate with ripe fruit but also good acidity lift and slight oak as well. Pretty long finish and overall a very enjoyable wine. (5702 views) | | | Tasted by Wine_lvr on 10/16/2012 & rated 92 points: Hosanna Vertical Tasting (Zurich): My first impression when this wine was initially poured was "WOW"...after 5 minutes still good, after 15 minutes the thrill was gone. So I ask myself how do these modern St. Emilion's age. Maybe this does not matter as this makes fun now, and thus, should also be drunk now.
Intensive deep red. Nose of berry marmelade, Tobacco, Creme de Cassis. Very balanced, long finish and lots of fruit. This is very modern and it makes fun because it is different to the more classical and elegant Hosannas in the tasting. I would drink this wine now but I am sure it could last another 10 years. But again, will more bottle age make this one better? time will tell... (6399 views) | | | Tasted by TheDarkPrince on 3/4/2012 & rated 92 points: Tasting this as I type. 2001 sucked as a vintage in Bordeaux, however the best producers still made lemonade out of lemons! This is throwing lots of sediment, so stand it up for 2-3 hrs before decanting. This wine has held up really well all things considered. On the nose, There is an abundance of toast and tobacco. On the palette, it's smooth. The tannins are perfectly integrated. Plums and cherries tease the senses. Great wine for the vintage. However, not worth the sticker price. Will last another 7-10 years in the cellar. That said, I don't see it improving beyond this point.
:0) (5200 views) | | | Tasted by Wink on 11/11/2011 & rated 95 points: Served at a Société Mondiale du Vin Bordeaux tasting. No notes. For me, this was easily WOTN. Dense, velvety, Right Bank wine bursting with delicious fruit. Amazing length. Refreshing acidity. Sweet tannins. Drinking well, but structured to last. (5106 views) | | | Tasted by PeterH on 6/17/2011 & rated 94 points: Very tasty juice! (4824 views) | | | Tasted by MRichman on 5/31/2011: 2001 Bordeaux at 10 years served blind (La Fonda del Sol, NYC): Stiff, acidic, hard tannins. Bright and high toned. Some black olive and herb. Long tight drying finish. Way too young. Score reserved. (3889 views) | | | Tasted by matthijs on 6/30/2010 & rated 86 points: Nor fruit, or bouquet, lot of concentration, but lacks .... (3082 views) | | | Tasted by noppakit s. on 10/11/2009 & rated 92 points: A littie bit too young, milky at first nose and getting better with time. Clean and seductive nose of Valandraud. Delicious and showing good character of vintage 2001. It stands between 1994 and 1999. The finish is very nice, lovely long and powerful. One of a promising !!! (3551 views) | | | Tasted by loverboy on 1/1/2009 & rated 92 points: Started off mild and nice. Deep red ruby in color. It expose scents of vanilla, earth, mineral, red berries. Sweet delicate tannin. Not quite showing much , I feel that there is much more to offer. Not quite time to have one just yet. (3261 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 7/2/2008 & rated 94 points: Just like Murielle Thunevin, this sensous Bordeaux wine keeps getting better with age. Filled with a rich, chocolate, licorice and ripe black, jammy fruit explosion. this opulent textured wine is for hedonists. Still young, this wonderful wine will get better with age. (3176 views) | | | Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 9/28/2007 & rated 90 points: Martin Weiner Cheval Blanc, Ausone, St. Emilion Tasting (Chez Weiner, Westwood, California): Medium raspberry red color; sweet cherry and cassis nose with caramel and pecan; plush, soft, sweet cherry, a little hot and tight yet; medium finish 90+ pts. (continuing to open in the glass after 45 minutes) (3562 views) | | | Tasted by PeterH on 3/27/2007 & rated 93 points: Funny how food changes a wine. The last time I had this, it was with a big steak at Craft. I thought it was really sexy juice. This time, no food, just part of a wine tasting. LOTS of tannin here that needs to get resolved. A bunch of fruit and again the 'Haut Brion' flavors that I always seem to get with good Valandraud. Great length. But put these away till 2011 (or probably 2016) and try again... (4371 views) | | | Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 1/19/2007 & rated 91 points: Martin Weiner Pomerol and St. Emilion Tasting Dinner (Chez Weiner, Westwood, California): Gorgeous, sweet, caramel oak, Napa Cab-type nose; coffee, caramel, tart red fruit palate, tight yet; medium-plus finish 91+ pts. (2955 views) | | | Tasted by Mlermontov on 8/24/2006 & rated 94 points: T. Edward Wines - Fall 06; 8/23/2006-8/24/2006: black color! kirsh, plum, spices, silky smooth bruiser - sounds weird doesnt it? amazing length and balance. needs time but the fruit and structure will support the age. (5575 views) | | | Tasted by dougsmith on 8/23/2006 & rated 91 points: T. Edward Wines Fall 2006 Portfolio Tasting (New York City): Deep ruby color. Bah! This presented VERY closed; hard to make out flavors. Touch of sweet plum, smoked mint and coffee on the nose. The palate showed youthful tannin and great balance. But this needs TIME. (4668 views) | | | Tasted by dougsmith on 2/2/2006 & rated 93 points: An Evening with Jean-Luc Thunevin (Triomphe Restaurant, NY): Deep black fruit flavors on the nose, with plenty of pepper and spice. It is a big, youthful wine with definite tannins but nothing green about them. Wonderful chocolate flavors on the finish. (4865 views) |
| By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (1/17/2008)
(Ch Valandraud St-Émilion Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 2003, IWC Issue #108
(Chateau Valandraud Saint Emilion) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 2002, IWC Issue #102
(Chateau Valandraud Saint Emilion) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (4/22/2002)
(Ch Valandraud St-Émilion Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (9/28/2007)
(Château Valandraud) Medium raspberry red color; sweet cherry and cassis nose with caramel and pecan; plush, soft, sweet cherry, a little hot and tight yet; medium finish 90+ pts. (continuing to open in the glass after 45 minutes) 90 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (1/19/2007)
(Château Valandraud) Gorgeous, sweet, caramel oak, Napa Cab-type nose; coffee, caramel, tart red fruit palate, tight yet; medium-plus finish 91+ pts. 91 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JancisRobinson.com and Vinous and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Red Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanLibournais Libournais (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux) - Read more about St. Emilion and its wines - Read more about Pomerol and its wines
Saint Emilion Grat Classified Growth, Classified Growths, Grands Crus Classes, GCC
In 1954, while the "Graves" growths had just published their own classification, the wine syndicate of Saint-Emilion, composed by wine growers, brokers and wine traders with the approval of the INAO - Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (A.O.C), decided to work on a classification for the wines of Saint Emilion. Initially, four grades were defined. These were reduced to two - First Great Classified Growth (A and B) and Great Classified Growth - in 1984.
As of Medoc's 1855 historical grading, the Saint-Emilion Great Classified Growth classification is not only based on qualitative criteria by tasting the wines on a ten years period previous to the assessment, but also on commercial considerations such as:
- sales price levels
- national and international commercial distribution
- the estate's reputation on the market
Properties who don't manage to join the club of about sixty Classified Growths are given the denomination of Great Growth ("Grand Cru"), while the remaining wineries of the A.O.C are simply reported as "Saint-Emilion". It is to be noted that the owners must officially apply to appear in the official classification. Thus for example the famous Chateau Tertre-Roteboeuf, whose quality and reputation would easily justify to be listed among the First Great Classified Growths, does not appear here by the will of its owner, François Mitjaville.
The Saint-Emilion Great Growth classification was revised in 1969, 1985, 1996 and 2006. The only two guaranteed vintage (A.O.C) who can apply to the classification are the "Saint-Emilion Grand Cru" and "Saint-Emilion" areas.
By grading 61 properties, the 2006 revision confirmed many growths from the former classification, but also caused a number of surprises and a few inevitable disappointments. Many observers thought that the impressive progression of Perse's Chateau Pavie since 1998 would be rewarded by an upgrade into the First Great Classified Growths (A) category, but finally such was not the case.
Among the estates promoted to the First Great Classified Growths B category are Chateau Troplong-Mondot and Pavie-Macquin, whose efforts made since the Nineties fully justify their new grade. It should be noted that no First Great Classified Growth was relegated to the lower Great Classified Growth class.
Promoted growths from the status of Great Growth ("Grand Cru") to Great Classified Growth ("Grand Cru Classe") are: Chateaux Bellefont-Belcier, Destieux, Fleur Cardinale, Grand Corbin, Grand Corbin-Despagne and Monbousquet.
The demoted growths from the status of Great Classified Growth to Great Growth are: Chateaux Bellevue, Cadet Bon, Faurie de Souchard, Guadet Saint-Julien, La Tour du Pin-Figeac (Belivier), La Tour du Pin-Figeac (Moueix), Lamarzelle, Petite Faurie de Soutard, Tertre Daugay, Villemaurine and Yon-Figeac. If the recent samples of some of the above mentioned properties may justify their current downgrade, there are great chances that estates like Bellevue, Tertre Daugay or Yon-Figeac will be upgraded to their previous rankings by the next revision in 2016 as the progresses noted after 2000, but not entering in the range of vintages (1993 - 2002) appointed for the criteria of selection for the 2006 classification, are noticable.
The two following estates have completely disappeared from the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classification: Curé-Bon-la-Madeleine (integrated meanwhile to Chateau Canon) and La Clusière (integrated meanwhile to Chateau Pavie).
Finally, no estate considered as "garagiste" has integrated the classification. Valandraud, Mondotte, Le Dome, Bellevue-Mondotte or Magrez-Fombrauge have, for the least, the potential to be ranked as Great Classified Growths. In sight of the very fine quality reached by the above mentioned estates in recent vintages as well as all the innovative wine making methods used by the "garagistes", it remains to be seen whether the authorities will dare to cross the line in 2016..?St. Émilion Grand Cru Les Vins de St. Émilion (Syndicate Vitocole de Saint-Emilion) – Read about St. Emilion
Vins de Bordeaux:
Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot
Soil: Sandy soils with alluvial gravel deposits
Surface Area: 4,160 ha |
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