2005 Valandraud, St-Émilion

“The 2005 Valandraud is off the charts. Easily one of the wines of the vintage, the 2005 Valandraud possesses tremendous richness from start to finish. Moreover, it has aged exquisitely. Inky red fruit, iron, smoke, dried herbs, menthol, licorice and blood orange infuse the 2005 with striking layers of nuance to play off all that unctuous fruit. This full-throttle Saint-Émilion is a prodigious effort from Jean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud. (AG)” (04/2021)

“Another just about perfect wine is the 2005 Château Valandraud, and had it not been tasted beside the 2010, I might have upped the rating. Awesome dark currants, ripe baked cherries, chocolate, truffly earth, and spice all define the bouquet, and it's full-bodied, with a dense, concentrated, opulent mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and no hard edges. It's fully mature and just a singular, truly “wow” wine from Jean-Luc that's ideal for drinking any time over the coming 15-20 years or more.” (05/2022)

“It has a very precise bouquet with fine delineation: copious blackberry, raspberry and crisp strawberry fruit, impressive mineralité with subtle marine scents lapping against the shore. The palate is very composed on the entry. It has an almost Burgundy-like texture. This is very refined and cohesive, silky smooth with a powerful and intense bravura of a finish. Perhaps the most sophisticated wine that Jean-Luc Thunévin had made at that point, it comes highly recommended and is just beginning to drink now. (NM)” (02/2017)

“Dark ruby in color, with intense aromas of blackberry, mineral and dried lavender. Full-bodied, very dense and layered, with powerful tannins. This is big and very rich. A bodybuilder.” (03/2008)

“Saturated, deep ruby-red. Very complex aromas of plum, mocha, iron and minerals, lifted by a floral topnote. Wonderfully lush and smooth in the mouth, with fully ripe flavors of black raspberry, currant, licorice and mocha perfectly supported by ripe acidity. This boasts terrific balance and somehow manages to hide its 14.5% alcohol. Finishes impressively long, with big but thoroughly ripe tannins. The pH here is a very reasonable 3.6, notes Jean-Luc Thunevin. A splendid vintage for Valandraud, and likely to evolve slowly. (ST)” (05/2008)

“Still some purple in the crimson. Sweet and creamy on the nose. Lots of pzazz on the palate. Still a lot of tannin on the end. But some evolved fruit too. 17/20 points (JR)” (02/2017)