Château Valandraud 2024

Very dense color; clearly shaped by the élevage, smoke, dark chocolate, licorice over blackberry, cassis and plum; on the palate, structured, again with noticeable oak, the fruit currently in the background, fine-grained tannins, well-balanced acidity; a finish of good length with a red-fruited aftertaste.

Silky-smooth and packed with flesh and juiciness. This is really quite arresting from the first sip. Vibrant and energetic, with a lick of sweet strawberry, sour cranberry and creamy raspberry giving layers of different textures in the mouth. Clean—you definitely get the mineral backbone—slate, graphite and wet stones, with mint and aniseed. Long length; it’s very upfront, not what I’d call especially finessed, but it doesn’t taste like a 2024. This is high-octane stuff. Intense all the way through. Very Valandraud in style but with low alcohol and low pH. pH 3.50. Aged 18–22 months in 100% new oak.

Chocolate-covered black raspberries, flowers, espresso, mocha, and black cherries present themselves prominently in the perfume. On the palate, the wine is fresh, creamy, supple, forward, and rounded. The fruits fill the palate, lingering with their sweetness, plushness, and a strong sense of minerality. Give it just a few years of bottle age, and it will be quite enjoyable. The wine blends 85% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Cabernet Franc. 13.5% ABV. Harvesting took place September 26 - October 7. Drink from 2029-2045. 94-96 Pts

Cigar-box aromas emerge on the first nose before red fruits begin to assert themselves. New oak, though noble, dominates at this stage, as if strolling through a pine forest. Beneath silky, elegant, enveloping tannins, the substance shows a luminous freshness, brimming with energy and verve. The fruit, radiant, is not far off—just biding its time before fully spreading its wings.