A huge success for this demanding year, this sleeper of the vintage boasts a deep purple color as well as a sweet perfume of creme de cassis, licorice, white chocolate, and new wood. It is a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, round, delicious offering in need of 2-3 more years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2018.Note: Valandraud also produces a limited production kosher cuvee. The 2003 merited (90-92 points), and the 2002 (89 points). It may be the world’s finest kosher wine.

Tasted blind at the Valandraud vertical at the property, the 2002 Valandraud has a slightly foursquare bouquet at first, but it seems to gain focus and precision in the glass, a mixture of red and black fruit, orange zest and crushed violet, the latter becoming more prominent as it opens up. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. It feels quite dense in the mouth, not as complex as the 2001 Valandraud, but it is cohesive and caressing, gently unfolding with white pepper and sage on the abrupt finish. Not bad for the vintage, even though it has lost some of its pizzazz. Tasted December 2016.

A beautiful and focused red with blackberry and light toasted oak. Very vibrant on the nose. Full-bodied, with silky and refined tannins with complex flavors of berries, sweet tobacco and black olives. Lovely wine. Jean-Luc Thunevin put a lot of sweat into his wine. Best after 2008. 1,000 cases made. -JS