Chateau Valandraud 2017

JEB DUNNUCK: "A blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in new barrels, the 2017 Chateau Valandraud is up with the creme de la creme of the vintage. Killer notes of creme de cassis, graphite, white flowers, and violets all emerge from the glass, and this beauty has a wonderful sense of purity, full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. It opens up beautifully with time in the glass and is a remarkable effort in the vintage. Give it 3-4 years if you can and enjoy any time over the following two decades."

JAMES SUCKLING: "Intense, ripe dark plums and berries with graphite and stones, as well as fresh, cedary oak. This has powerful yet very seamless and intense fruit presence with a very concentrated array of ripe dark plums and rich, assertive fruit, which builds smoothly on the finish. Impressive poise here. A blend of 90% merlot, 7% cabernet franc and 3% cabernet sauvignon. Try from 2025."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "Initially this wine seems massive. But as it opens out, it shows its balanced, perfumed side. Ripe black fruits are evened out by the wine's concentration and richness. In turn the acidity and the smoky flavors give it depth and potential. Drink this wine from 2025."

WINE SPECTATOR: "This is ablaze with cassis, cherry preserve and blueberry reduction flavors that ripple with energy, inlaid with graphite, anise and Lapsang souchong tea notes. The long finish displays a luxurious feel, with a subtle underlay of chalky minerality. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2022 through 2040."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Better in bottle than in barrel, (Which is always a good sign), the deeply colored wine is filled to the brim with smoke, licorice, espresso bean and black cherries. Lush, round and full-bodied, the finish is showy and long. This should continue filling out nicely."

WEINWISSER: "Dichtes Granatrot mit rubinrotem Rand. Konzentriertes Bouquet mit exotischen Hölzern, dunklen Schokonoten und frischem Thymian. Im zweiten Ansatz schwarzbeerige Konturen und Brazil-Tabak. Am Gaumen zeigt sich das Kraftpaket mit engmaschigem Tanningerüst und mehligem Extrakt."

DECANTER: "Rich, layered, complex, a winner in a difficult vintage, full of juice and salinity. Feels alive, with the natural break of the vintage nicely played with by Thunevin's irrepressible nod towards exuberance. I liked this En Primeur and it has done a great job over ageing of settling and building power. Great stuff, highly recommended."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung, attraktive Edelholzwürze, intensive schwarze Beerenfrucht, zart ätherisch, einladendes Bukett. Saftig, elegant und frisch, feine Tannine, rotbeeriger Touch im Abgang, delikat und gut anhaftend, ein finessenreicher Speisenbegleiter."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Very dark with black core. Charry blackcurrant on the nose. Dry in texture but has lots of refined and scented black fruit on the palate. Almost sober in its dark, rocky flavours on the palate. The alcohol shows less than you might expect because the fruit is full and pure. Needs a lot of time."