Chateau Valandraud 2025

Vinum: Was für ein Duft, deutlich weniger von Eichenwürze geprägt, als in früheren Jahren, tiefgründig, Brombeeren, Kirschen, Cassis, getrocknete Minze, florale Noten; der Gaumen ist von einer noch nie gewesenen Saftigkeit, natürlich konzentriert, mit Kraft, jedoch ohne überbordende Fassaromen, sensationelles Tannin, kalkig geprägt; kühl und rotfruchtig im Abgang. Umwerfend. Dieser Jahrgang läutet ein neues Kapitel auf Valandraud ein. "

Jeb Dunnuck: Based on 84% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2025 Château Valandraud is aging in 90% new French oak and has a dense purple hue as well as captivating aromatics of juicy red, blue, and black fruits, graphite, spring flowers, and an ultra-classic lead pencil character. Hitting 14% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.5, it’s concentrated and full-bodied on the palate, with incredible purity and a more restrained, elegant style than previous vintages. It has plenty of classic Valandraud greatness."

The Wine Cellar Insider: Licorice, smoke, black cherries, flowers, blackberries, plums, licorice, chocolate, and espresso are already quite expressive in the nose. The palate is even better with its vivid display of perfectly ripe, black cherries, plums, spice, espresso, mocha, and dark chocolate. Intense, and concentrated, opulent, deep, and long, the fruit stains your palate, teeth, and gums, but, at the same time, the wine manages to be vibrant. Velvety in texture, the finish is close to seamless. Give it just a few years of bottle age, and it will be quite enjoyable over the next 2-3 decades. Drink from 2030-2060."

James Suckling: Lots of dark fruit with an edge, supported by chalky tannins. Compact and concentrated, with a fresh medium body. The crunchy, chalky tannins help balance the wine’s exuberance. This shows an attractive combination of power, focused tannins, freshness and exuberant fruit, with hints of black mushrooms and ink. Aged for 20 months in 90% new oak and 10% foudres. 84% merlot, 9% cabernet sauvignon and 7% cabernet franc."

Decanter: A new take on Valandraud this year after Jean-Luc Thunevin sold his majority stake to Christophe et Marie Lefévère (Château Sansonnet, Château Moulin du Cadet, Château Villemaurine. With Grégory Leymarie now managing director he said this is the perfect vintage to tell a new story with a new vision and a reduction in production by 20-25%. Gorgeous heady scents on the nose, ripe blackcurrant, cherries and strawberries. Chalky, velvety, ripe but not overly so, you have that intensity and concentration of fruit - but there’s such finesse. Elegance is here in spades, this is soft and approachable already. A juicy, clean and crystalline core with a soft salty, oyster shell mineral bite. I love this for its calmness, roundness and general softness. You still have the signature fruit aspect - the spiced aromatics and the clean blackcurrant, plum and black cherry fruit - the signature of the estate is still recognisable but with a lot more delicacy. Ageing 100% new oak. 3.48pH, 4g total acidity."

Falstaff: Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Feines Cassis, schwarze Kirschenfrucht, ein Hauch von Röstaromen, attraktives Bukett. Komplex, saftig, dunkle Beerenfrucht, gute Frische, reife, tragende Tannine, salziger Touch, rotbeerige Nuancen im Nachhall, animierender Stil, gutes Reifepotenzial."

Lisa Perrotti-Brown: Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2025 Valandraud storms from the glass with powerful notes of preserved plums, baked black cherries, and cedar chest, followed by suggestions of sandalwood, camphor, and crushed rocks. The medium- to full-bodied palate is filled with decadent black fruit preserves flavors, framed by firm yet velvety tannins and crisp tension, finishing very long and opulent. Classic Valandraud that won’t disappoint fans."

Jane Anson: As ever with Valandraud, this has impressive depths and concentration. Inky colour, sea spray aromatics, high sandalwood oak on the nose that it is completely eaten up on the palate, roasted coffee, dark chocolate, powerful iris and violets, estate signature, with breadth and depth of flavour. 90% new oak, plus 10% new oak casks. Marie and Jean-Christophe Lefévère (of Sansonnet) now are the official owners of Valandraud, as of this vintage. This is a great wine and a clear potential upscore in bottle. 3.5ph, 20% less than usual in terms of plot selection, 36hl/h yield."