Tasted on multiple occasions, the 2021 Château Valandraud is based on 85% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a serious wine in the vintage and has a dense purple hue to go with brilliant aromatics of ripe blackberries, currants, smoked tobacco, graphite, and an undeniable sense of minerality. This ripe, medium to full-bodied 2021 has a layered, balanced mouthfeel, nicely integrated background oak, more mid-palate depth than just about every other wine in the vintage, and a gorgeous finish. It will benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and drink well for 15+ years.

The 2021 Valandraud is compelling. Bright acids give the 2021 terrific purity and cut. The style of the year is perhaps a bit unusual for Valandraud, which tends to be an opulent wine, but there is a ton of potential. Aeration brings out the wine's natural texture and breadth. Wild dark cherry, mocha, spice, new leather and licorice all build nicely. In most vintages, Valandraud offers tons of near-term appeal. The 2021, on the other hand, is a long distance runner.

Black berry, pine nut, bark and dark mushroom aromas follow through to a medium body with creamy tannins that caress the palate and give a complexity and subtlety at the finish. Extremely fine velvety texture here. A beauty for the vintage. Drink in three or four years.