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2014 Valandraud

2014 Valandraud

96 JS

Featured Review
Wow. The blackberry, licorice and blueberry aromas are really spellbinding. Full-bodied, chewy and polished with beautiful fruit. Super depth and richness. Always subtle and polished behind the power. Try in 2023. James Suckling

James Suckling | 96 JS

Critic Reviews

Wow. The blackberry, licorice and blueberry aromas are really spellbinding. Full-bodied, chewy and polished with beautiful fruit. Super depth and richness. Always subtle and polished behind the power. Try in 2023.

James Suckling | 96 JS
Here's an impressive wine that is so ripe and with great structure. It is a major wine with a dark complex texture and the finest acidity. The wine is very complete, all the elements in place from the black fruits to the tannins to the hints of wood aging. Now at the top of the tree in Saint-Emilion's classification, the wine will take years to mature. Drink from 2027.

Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE
The 2014 Valandraud from Saint-Emilion superstar Jean-Luc Thunevin is certainly up with the crème de la crème of the vintage, and while I can be a little humdrum with regards to 2014, this is one of the few that will cause your heart rate to jump. A deep purple/ruby color is accompanied by a terrific perfume of ripe black cherries, blackberries, Asian spices, decaying flowers and hints of tobacco. Deep, layered, full-bodied, and tannic, it needs to be forgotten for at least 4-5 years and will keep for two decades. It’s one of the few “do not miss” wines in 2014.

Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD
The 2014 Valandraud is laced with dark cherry compote, spice, new leather and chocolate notes. In 2014, Valandraud is marked by a super-appealing combination of intense dark fruit and fresher, more floral-driven nuances that beautifully express the freshness of the year. The 2014 is a wonderfully complete Valandraud to drink over the next 10-15 years, perhaps longer.

Vinous Media | 95 VM
Delivers a gorgeous display of fruit, with boysenberry, raspberry and blackberry coulis notes that are fresh and racy, allied to a graphite spine and framed judiciously with a well-singed apple wood accent. This has a lot of coiled-up energy. Best from 2022 through 2035. 2,000 cases made.

Wine Spectator | 95 WS
Clean and racy. Reflects the vintage character. Blackberry, spice and pepper notes. Firm and structured with a good depth of fruit. Hint of oak but well integrated. Refreshing finish. Drinking Window 2021 - 2038.

Decanter | 94 DEC
Having tasted the 2014 Valandraud blind as part of a complete vertical in December, you may ask what is the point in revisiting it a manner of weeks afterwards? Well, Jean-Luc submitted three or four bottles to subsequent tastings, so I feel that I should honor his participation by saying that these vindicated the showing back in December. There remains that exuberance on the nose with layers of blackberry and blueberry, the palate still sumptuous and stocked, full of dense black cherry and cassis fruit. It could have been pushed too far, but it pulls everything back on the finish to retain the detail and freshness you expect. Tasted February 2017.

Robert Parker Neal Martin | 94 RP-NM

Wine Details for 2014 Valandraud

Type of Wine Bordeaux Red : Picture in your mind a combination of cedar, lead pencil, blackcurrant, plum and mineral aromatics, and texture that caresses your palate like a playful lover. The experience is thrilling from the first whiff to the final seconds of a tannic, generous finish - that is what you'll get from a Bordeaux Red
Varietal Bordeaux Blend
Country France : Wine is the lifeblood that courses through the country of France, pulsing with vigorous pride and determination. Viticulture is not just a hobby or an occupation in France; it is a passion, a cherished tradition that has been passed down through generations of wine stained hands. Winemaking is a beloved art that has been ingrained in the culture, an aptitude instilled in sons by fathers and the hallmark for which France’s reputation was built, allowing it to be renowned as, arguably, the most important wine producing country in the world.



For centuries, France has been producing wines of superior quality and in much greater quantity than any other country in the world. It boasts some of the most impressive wine regions, coveted vineyards and prestigious wines on earth. The regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, Sauternes and Champagne have become the benchmark, for which others aspire to become. Legendary producers such as Chateaux Margaux, Domaine De La Romanee Conti, Chapoutier, d’Yquem and Dom Perignon are idolized world-wide.



France has stamped its name on nearly every style of wine, from the nectar-like sweet Sauternes to hedonistic Chateauneuf Du Papes classic Bordeaux and Burgundy, to its sparkling dominance in Champagne. Many of the most infamous grape varietals in the world, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay originated in France and are not only beloved, but utilized in the creation of some of the greatest wines on earth. French wine production commands the attention of the wine market year after year. With over 860,000 hectares under vine, and numbers close to 50 million hectoliters of wine produced annually, France dominates the market and sets the standard for not only product quality, but also quantity.



France’s many contributions to the world of wine have been absolutely indispensable. The country is the originator of the term “Premier Cru,” coined the term Terroir (a French term so complex there is no literal translation) and has laid the blueprint for a structured appellation system, which others have implemented in their own countries. French vineyard techniques and winemaking practices are mimicked world-wide. California vintners have been replicating Rhone style wines for decades, South America has adopted the French varietal of Malbec and countries around the world are imitating Burgundian styled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.



With vast diversity in terroir, France is home to some of the most hospitable winegrowing locations on earth. The combination of topography, geology, climate, rainfall and even the amount of sunlight combined with the long historical tradition of winegrowing and making, has allowed the vintners of France to not only hone their skills, but learn from nature to create a product that like the world in which it resides… is very much alive.


Overview

Producer Valandraud

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