Wow. The blackberry, licorice and blueberry aromas are really spellbinding. Full-bodied, chewy and polished with beautiful fruit. Super depth and richness. Always subtle and polished behind the power. Try in 2023. Feb 2017

Delivers a gorgeous display of fruit, with boysenberry, raspberry and blackberry coulis notes that are fresh and racy, allied to a graphite spine and framed judiciously with a well-singed apple wood accent. This has a lot of coiled-up energy. JM

The 2014 Valandraud from Saint-Emilion superstar Jean-Luc Thunevin is certainly up with the crème de la crème of the vintage, and while I can be a little humdrum with regards to 2014, this is one of the few that will cause your heart rate to jump. A deep purple/ruby color is accompanied by a terrific perfume of ripe black cherries, blackberries, Asian spices, decaying flowers and hints of tobacco. Deep, layered, full-bodied, and tannic, it needs to be forgotten for at least 4-5 years and will keep for two decades. It’s one of the few “do not miss” wines in 2014. Nov 2017

With plump, luxurious, black cherries and boysenberry notes which grab you as soon as you get close to the glass, this wine is full bodied, concentrated, fleshy and there is a fresh, supple quality to the dark cocoa, licorice and ripe fruits in the finish. Valandraud has been on quite a run for the last several years. Tasted EP April 2015

Clean and racy. Reflects the vintage character. Blackberry, spice and pepper notes. Firm and structured with a good depth of fruit. Hint of oak but well integrated. Refreshing finish. Drinking Window: 2021 - 2038
Tasted by: James Lawther MW
Part of Bordeaux 2014: Top 10 St-Emilion wines

The 2014 Valandraud does not show as well as I expected and so this tasting note originates from another bottle sourced in Bordeaux. This is more representative. All that blackberry and blueberry fruit on the extravagant nose (at least for a 2014) that effortlessly soaks up the new oak. The palate is quite dense and ravishing with pure black cherry and cassis fruit. Sure, it flirts with being a bit overdone but Jean-Luc Thunevin pulls the reins back just when it is needed. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. - vinous.com, March 2018