2003 Château Valandraud

Château Valandraud is an unclassified Bordeaux in the Saint-Emilion appellation and it is considered one of the original “vins de garage.” Unlike most historic estates in Bordeaux, Valandraud is a relatively young estate, having been founded in 1989 by Jean-Luc Thunevin and his wife Mureille Andraud. The couple started with a tiny 1.5 acre plot and have since added more vineyards for a total of 11 acres, which means it still remains extremely small by regional standards. In wine world jargon Valandraud is known as a “microchateau” or “garagiste” producer. Valandraud’s first release was 1991. Its Grand Vin is typically a blend of 65% Merlot 30% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec. Up to 20,000 bottles are produced annually. A former wine merchant and restaurateur, Thunevin has been called “highly talented” by Robert M. Parker Jr., who applauds Valandraud as “enormously rich, concentrated, and beautifully well delineated.”

Saint-Émilion is on the east side of the Dordogne River. At 13,400 acres it is one of Bordeaux’s largest appellations, and perhaps its most picturesque. It is also home to what has been called “the garagiste” movement of upstart, tradition-defying winemakers who produce artisanal wines in styles that are unconventional for the appellation. The village of Saint-Émilion dates from the middle ages and it sits on low hills, surrounded by ancient walls. Like its neighbor Pomerol, Saint-Émilion was not included in the famous Bordeaux classification system of 1855. But a century later a ranking system was put in place, and unlike the classification system for the Medoc, the Saint-Émilion system is reviewed every ten years, meaning that estates can be upgraded or downgraded. There are three rankings: Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Premier Grand Cru Classé A, with the final ranking being the best. Such legendary Saint-Émilion estates as Châteaux Ausone and Cheval-Blanc are Premier Grand Cru Classé A, along with Châteaux Pavie and Angélus, both added to the classification in 2012. Wines in this appellation are primarily Merlot, mixed with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

"Valandraud is unquestionably Bordeaux's finest success story to date...(it has) become the micro-treasure sought by...wine collectors throughout the world." - Robert M. Parker, Jr