ESF

9.3

@Peter Sultan wrote up a nice note for this - real treat as these are hard to find in my neck o the woods, thoroughly enjoyable but definitely an acquired taste... — 15 days ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.2

Actually very good for very few $$$. — 7 months ago

Robert Ahlstrom

9.0

Great fun Jura, associations to calvados — 2 years ago

Serge Mismetti

9.3

Château de l’étoile vin jaune 100%savagnin 2002 — 4 years ago

J Hoover

9.0

Full bodied and complex wine. Notes of blackberry, currant, pepper and floral. Wine feels a bit young even after decanting for 2+ hours. Excited to see what it will be in a handful of years. — 4 years ago

Martinez

9.1

Entry-level Chardonnay from 25-35 years-old vines rooted in clay and limestone soils. Aged in oak for 6 months. Fresh, mineral. Hints of yellow apple and yeast on the nose. Tart green apple flavors, saline on the palate. Long, tasty finish. Great wine, incredible value — 5 years ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.4

Vintage 1998 / Apricot. Sirupy. Rich. Good balance. — 6 years ago

Lyn Farmer

9.4

Elegant and already approachable with lovely black fruit (especially black cherry) and red fruit, a hint of mocha, mint and leather and just enough tannin to give it body and texture. Lovely with a long life ahead. 80% Merlot, 15% cab Franca, 5% cab Sauvignon. — 8 years ago

Brian Hearty

9.1

2023. We had really enjoyed this producer’s Vin de Paille a while ago, so Pratik gave us a pour of their Savagnin. Loved the sherry like aromas and crisp apple flavors. — a day ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.0

Vintage 2023 | minerality and structure. — 9 months ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.5

A steal on auction
I wouldn’t consider it a 🥩 wine but great with charcuterie
Web info
Chateau Valandraud is represented by the passion of a couple: Jean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud. Following the great success with the wine merchant business in Saint Emilion, they opened their own vineyard to produce their own wine.
In 1989, they bought a small parcel of 0.6 hectare (1.48 acres) located in a small valley near Saint Emilion between Pavie-Macquin and La Clotte. The origin of the wine name is as much geographic (Val: Vallon de Fongaban), as sentimental (Andraud: Murielle’s maiden name). Thus Chateau Valandraud was born.
Little by little, Jean-Luc and his wife purchased several other parcels of vines, and now, the domain represents a total surface of 10 hectares (24.71 acres), located in various areas of Saint Emilion. The diversity of soils and varietals permit the production of 6 different wines: Chateau Valandraud, Chateau Valandraud Casher, Virginie de Valandraud and the 3 de Valandraud (the second wine of Chateau Valandraud and Virginie de Valandraud), Blanc de Valandraud N° 1 and N° 2.
The final blending of the various parcels occurs in the month of March, following a blind tasting with the help of the world famous oenologist, Michel Rolland. — 3 years ago

Stefan Dolhain

8.9

2015 vintage. Owned by the Vauthier family (Ausone, Moulin Saint Georges and La Clotte). A blend of 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and interestingly 5% Carnenere and 5% Petit Verdot. Seriously reduced, I wildly double-decanted the wine, and struggled with the nose for over an hour before it finally started to shine. My patience was rewarded as the beast miraculously turned into some kind of a beauty. Ripe red fruit, violets and a mineral touch. — 5 years ago

Michael Herzog

9.1

Really liked this. Had a sweetness to it but was a balanced and refined sweetness along with minerality. — 6 years ago

Chip Hughes

9.2

2016. Capsicum and chalk. Quite a hit of new oak that integrates with aeration. A big, structured wine for the vintage. Should have quite a long life. #châteaudebrézé #saumur #cabernetfranc — 8 years ago

Rick Phillips

9.2

Smooth Berry fruit. Don’t agree with other ratings. Decanted for 2 hours and was very pleased. No it’s not a big boy but it stands alone. Glad I have a few more bottles! — 6 months ago

with Letha

"Odedi"

9.0

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Dark ruby in color, almost Inky, with a wide reddish/brick rim.

On the nose sweet cherries, raspberries, plums, black currants, tobacco leaf, light cedar, licorice, eucalyptus, black pepper, vegetables, black tea, herbs, Indian spices and lights acetone.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, light oak, tobacco leaf, herbs, light vegetables, earth, light forest floor, black tea and peppercorn.

Medium minus in length on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 6 year old Merlot from Bordeaux is still drinking nicely, but will not get any better from this point on.

Showing nice complexity at this point. Elegant and good right out of the bottle. Feels fresh on the palate, but the nose shows more age.

I gave it an hour in the decanter to open up. Lots of herb notes show up as it opens up.

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with cheeses and crackers.

A blend of 75% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$20. — 2 years ago

Kristen Grimes

9.0

Dark, rich garnet in color. That "noble rot" sauterne smell with lots of savory aromas. Dark fruit and lots of herbs on the palate, with lots of tannins that were pretty smooth and only mildly grippy (after 2.5 hours decanting!). Taking a bottle home to lay down for 6-7 you years, as suggested by sommelier Michael Kwas. Wonderfully paired with lamb ribeye, ratatouille, new potatoes, braised lamb belly, herbs de provence, red wine jus; softened the tannins and brought out the herbs in the wine.
L'Etoile Wine Dinner - Provence 8/17/22 — 4 years ago

Martinez

9.2

Amazing Vin Jaune. Incredible value — 5 years ago

Severn G

9.1

Similar notes to prior bottle opened about one year earlier, but this is showing as fresher and more lively, Yum!

Nose has maraschino cherry, white pepper, dry leather, dried red raspberry, distant barnyard, dried orange peel, granite quarry and dry earth.

Palate has dried cherry, dried raspberry, white chocolate, sweet red pepper, black cherry, old leather with medium acidity. This bottle is showing decent tannins, 3H decant. Enjoy 2022-24, in proper storage.

Our second successful preparation of this dish tonight; chicken, apples and cremé à la normande (cream, onion, mushroom & calvados), Jura looks to accompany cremé & calvados just fine. — 5 years ago

Sébastien F

9.5

Noix miel, droit, long — 8 years ago