1998 Château Valandraud

The 1998 Valandraud was poured blind and repeated previous showings. It has what might be termed a "blockbuster" nose, a phrase that does not really appeal to me...it is just very opulent with telltale signs of liquorish and tobacco. The palate is very well balanced and just as I discerned before, you could almost imagine it being a Left Bank in terms of flavour profile, were it not for its plush texture on the finish. Jean-Luc Thunevin made a helluva wine in this year and at 20 years it is still going strong. Tasted in London at a private lunch.

Tasted blind at the Valandraud vertical at the property, the 1998 Valandraud has a sweet ripe bouquet with scents of dark berries, salted licorices, tobacco and cedar that is very intense and powerful. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. Bizarrely, it almost seems Left Bank in style with cedar and tobacco notes infusing the black fruit, the mintiness suggesting a Pauillac! I love the drive here, the focus and the slight aloofness, a wine that demands respect and is worthy of it. What a great 1998: elegant yet intense, classy yet approachable. I envisage this offering another 10-15 years of drinking pleasure. Tasted December 2016.