2011 Virginie de Valandraud
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Tasting notes
First impression is toasty oak. Dark-fruited and sweetly spiced on the nose. Dry, grippy and more savoury on the palate but the tannins are not tough. Needs time. Perhaps a little bit tough overall. (JH)
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
An attractive, richly fruity, spicy wine, the 2011 Virginie de Valandraud reveals hints of Christmas baking spices, mocha and black cherries along with supple tannins, decent acidity and a round, corpulent mouthfeel. Drink it over the next 10-12 years.
Black as black, purple coal. Toasty chocolate aroma. Rich dark fruit encased in lots and lots of oak. Dense, chewy and just a touch bitter on the finish. I much prefer the lighter hand on Thuenvin's less expensive wines. Very hard to know how this will age. (JH)
About the producer
One of the first garage wines, Ch. Valandraud was created by Jean-Luc Thunevin – Saint-Emilion’s “bad boy”. Today the style of the wine is much more restrained, and officially classified as a Premier Grand Cru Classé B estate.