Ch.Valandraud 2003 750ml

Wine Advoate #229, Mar 01, 2017
The 2003 Valandraud did nothing to dispel my doubts about the longevity of this wine. It is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc matured in new oak for 20 months, actually the shortest duration from 2000 to date. It has a light and rather ephemeral bouquet that just seems to drift away in the (non-existent) breeze. Despite coaxing, this offers little compared to the 2002 or 2004 either side. The palate is medium-bodied with a rather chewy, meaty opening. There is dry fruit here that lacks joie-de-vivre, some presence but not life, and it feels bitter on the finish. It is simply a case of the merciless heat of the growing season vanquishing longevity. As such, given how many Valandrauds from mediocre vintages are maturing so well, I would consume bottles in the near future. Tasted December 2016.

Chateau Valandraud, or Chateau de Valandraud, is an unclassed Bordeaux wine producer situated in the Saint- Emilion appellation. The winery is located on the Right Bank of France's Bordeaux wine region in the commune of Saint-Emilion.
The winery also produces the second wines, Virginie de Valandraud and 3 de Valandraud, and the Kosher wine Chateau Valandraud Kosher.
In 1989 Jean-Luc Thunevin and his wife Murielle Andraud bought a 0.6-hectare (1.5-acre) plot in Saint - Emilion near Chateau Pavie-Macquin. Further plots in the region were acquired over the years, in locations such as Saint-Sulpice-de-Faleyrens and Saint- tienne-de-Lisse, and a former garage to be used as a winery, releasing the first vintage in 1991 of 1,500 bottles priced at �13. Exemplified as a typical "microchateau", Thunevin is closely associated with the "garagiste" movement, and the wine is described as the pioneer "Vin de garage". In 1995, Valandraud was given a better rating by Robert Parker than Chateau Pétrus, and by 1997 the Valandraud bottle price was set at �91. The 2005 vintage was set at �165.
The Thunevins have since taken on several projects, including the first "garage wine"' of Médoc, Marojallia, and acting as négociant distributor for several estates from Bordeaux, Languedoc-Roussillon and elsewhere, including Chateau Ausone, Gracia, Harlan Estate and Dominio de Pingus.

Meats, Beef and Venison