Home > Vintages and Regions > Bordeaux > Four from Jean-Luc Thunevin
Four from Jean-Luc Thunevin
Without doubt many will need no introduction to Jean-Luc Thunevin.
His fame comes from his venture at Valandraud, a St Emilion property which he
propelled into stardom starting with the 1991 vintage, not the most auspicious of
Bordeaux vintages, to say the least.
Perhaps inspired by a tasting of Le Pin, his work at Valandraud, which is named
for the Vale - or val - of Fongeban and his wife, Murielle Andraud
(pictured right, with Jean-Luc Thunevin), has in turn inspired many others.
It was a brave move for the couple; having already established themselves as successful wine
merchants, they were eager to own their own vineyards, and make their own wine.
Step by step they acquired several parcels of vines in the
St Emilion
appellation. What they created was the archetypal vin de garage, the father of all those - Le
Dôme, La Gomerie, Gracia and many more - that came afterwards.
Today Thunevin continues to be involved with a wide range of chateaux and their wines, and he also runs a fascinating blog providing a unique insight into the world of a Bordeaux viticulteur, merchant and négociant. In February this year I had the opportunity to taste four wines from the Thunevin portfolio, including the 1999 vintage of Valandraud, and these notes are presented below. (24/7/08)
Four from Jean-Luc Thunevin - Tasting Notes
Tasted in February 2008. Click
to locate stockists.
Chateau Haut-Carles (Fronsac) 2003: Predominantly Merlot, with some
Cabernet Franc and Malbec. This has the nose of the
vintage, showing exuberant fruit, a ripe and creamy style, still with apparent
oak. Similarly, there is ripe and roasted fruit on the palate; this is a full,
expansive wine, but overall it seems a little top-heavy. It has good grip, but
piles of oak, and more acidity would be preferable to my palate. 15.5/20
Chateau Fleur-Cardinale (St Emilion) 2006: Merlot 70% the remainder a
mix of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon & Malbec. A barrel
sample. A very youthful hue, with sweet black fruits and plums on the nose,
tinged with exotic spices. Attractive, not overly intense. Supple, nicely held
together on the palate, with good weight and a balance of tannins and acidity. A
good bright finish, showing lots of structure but well matched by fruit.
Elegant, but with a nice grippy finish. 16.5+/20
Chateau La Dominique (St Emilion) 2001: Predominantly Merlot. This has
a dusky colour showing some early
maturity of fruit, and an appealing style on the palate, opening out nicely to show
spice and pepper-tinged flavours. Overall, it is nicely composed, with some grip underneath the
mature character. It finishes very cleanly. This is approachable now. Good. 16/20
Chateau Valandraud (St Emilion) 1999: Merlot 70%, Cabernet Franc 30%. An attractive, rather dusky
hue. Not so expressive on the nose, but it has a lovely composition on the
palate. It is quite silky in its build; it has softly polished tannins, but with
rather firm acidity beneath. It remains firmly composed through the finish,
where there is a lingering tannic backbone. Good wine from a lesser vintage. 17+/20
