Tasting Notes
Vinous 95
Good deep medium ruby. Slightly high-toned, kaleidoscopic nose combines crushed blueberry, black raspberry, graphite, violet and sexy oak notes of mocha and espresso. Superripe and wonderfully sweet but with harmonious acidity leavening the wine’s almost viscous ripeness. Plush, silky and utterly seamless wine with an impressively broad, slowly building finish featuring suave tannins, lingering notes of minerals and smoke and outstanding palate-saturating persistence. A great vintage for Jean-Luc Thunevin’s flagship wine. Drink now or over the next 20 years.
Robert Parker 97
Deep garnet colored, the 2010 Valandraud comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant blueberry compote, Black Forest cake and plum preserves notions, plus hints of underbrush, camphor and licorice. Full-bodied, rich and seductive, it has a gorgeous velvety texture and great freshness supporting the decadent fruit through the long, energetic finish.
Anticipated maturity: 2020-2045
JancisRobinson.com 16.5++
Tasted blind. Deep cherry red. Lifted, still lots of fruits. Lively if quite mature in flavours of leather and undergrowth. More resolved than many. Tannins still dense but not tough. (JH)
Anticipated maturity: 2020-2030