96-99

Antonio Galloni

Vinous

The 2025 Valandraud is breathtaking. Its the first vintage made by Jean-Luc Thunevin and Marie Lefévère together. It therefore represents a changing of the guard, now that Lefévère and her husband, Christophe, have taken full ownership of the property after many years holding a minority stake. Vibrant and explosive in the glass, the 2025 Valandraud offers an exotic mélange of dark blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice and mocha. There's gorgeous precision here, much of that coming from more finesse in the tannins. The 2025 is utterly magnificent. Élevage is 90% new oak and 10% 15HL _foudres). Tasted two times. 04/2026

94-96

Neal Martin

Vinous

The 2025 Valandraud was picked from September 12 to October 4 and matured in 90% new oak, the rest in wooden casks. It has an intense nose with black cherry, cassis and violet scents, more bold than the Virginie de Valandraud but perhaps slightly less delineated. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannins, very well balanced with good depth of fruit, spicier than the Virginie towards the finish. Good grip, more than the Virginie, this will require three to five years in bottle, but it has great potential. 05/2026

97-99

Jeb Dunnuck

Jeb Dunnuck

Based on 84% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2025 Château Valandraud is aging in 90% new French oak and has a dense purple hue as well as captivating aromatics of juicy red, blue, and black fruits, graphite, spring flowers, and an ultra-classic lead pencil character. Hitting 14% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.5, it’s concentrated and full-bodied on the palate, with incredible purity and a more restrained, elegant style than previous vintages. It has plenty of classic Valandraud greatness. 05/2026

98

Jean-Marc Quarin

Jean-Marc Quarin

Couleur noire. Nez intense, au fruité mûr, évoluant profond à l'agitation du verre. Délicat en entrée de bouche, aromatique comme jamais au milieu, avec un gras fin parcourant le palais, le vin évolue juteux, noble et puissant sur un des grains de tanin les plus nuancés jamais vus dans ce cru. Grande puissance savoureuse. Assemblage : 84 % Merlot, 7 % Cabernet Franc, 9 % Cabernet Sauvignon. Degré d'alcool : 14° - pH : 3,5. Elevage : 90 % en barriques neuves et 10 % en foudre de bois pendant 20 mois. Pour information, Jean-Luc et Murielle Thunevin viennent de céder Valandraud à leurs associés, Christophe et Marie Lefévère. Cette dernière introduit une nouvelle nuance dans la compréhension du potentiel de ce cru en calant sa structure tanique différemment. 04/2026