Valandraud

June 18, 2011

At L’Essentiel with Jean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud

Murielle and Jean-Luc with friend Bernard Pouliquen at L'Essentiel

Wednesday, June 16. Another odd year, another Vinexpo! What is great about Vinexpo is the occasion it creates to visit with winemakers in one of the greatest winemaking regions in the world, Bordeaux. Last time I met with Jean Luc Thunevin – the self described Bad Boy of St Emilion – was in November 2007. He had organized a blind tasting of Haut Condissas 2000 and Durfort Vivens 2000 and I easily picked the latter. Monsieur Traditionalist, he calls me. But we are on good terms. Too many years went by however.  His wine bar, L’Essentiel, is now a wine shop, and as colorful as ever, just near one of the main entrances to the charming town of St Emilion.

Jean Luc is of course father to the Garage Wine movement that took the wine world by storm in the mid 1990s. A movement I have criticized but respected. A lot of good was done to challenge traditional winemaking in Bordeaux, although I feel that it went too far, with too much new oak and big, BIG, BIG! winemaking…  Although that storm has lost steam, Jean Luc and Murielle Andraud truck onwards, making several wines, not just Valandraud. “Modern” they are, with 100% new oak, and dark colors. And I still am not a big fan, overall, of that style…  But in 2010, the acidity made them less – how shall I put it? – “top heavy”. Here was a meeting where one can say that civility rules. Jean Luc and Murielle know my tastes, and we get along well. Indeed, they generously invited me to lunch! I would have joined them, but for another engagement.

Jean Luc and Murielle have a vision and they follow it through, although Murielle remarked that she will experiment with less new oak – and I was thought: that sounds great! One thing is certain, their white wines are great. Lo and behold, they have not more than 50% new oak in the Valandraud white and less than 30% in the second white. When Murielle proposed a try, I was girding myself for some dark-yellow colored Right Bank thickness, with 100% new oak. How happy I was to see straw colored liquid poured into the glass, with citrus and white fruit aromas emanating. Served slightly warm, the wine met that daring test.  So hats off to the Valandraud whites!

2010s from Jean Luc Thunevin and Murielle

Bad Boy. Very rich. Black fruit. There is some heat, but richness, too, that would please many a palate. I feel a bit of drying on the finish, oak derivation, that is not my style.

Le Clos du Beau-Pere Pomerol. This has a red fruit aspect compared to the above. Rich and succulent here, less jammy, but rich. A bit drying, again, an oak aspect to which I am sensitive.  Indeed 100% new oak.

Bellevue de Tayac Margaux. Next to Tayac. Blackberry. Very rich style, again. A bit more Cabernet here? There is a cassis aspect, and I like a certain tonicity here, compared to the previous wines. 100% new oak but seems better integrated in this wine, although I feel just a touch of heat on the finish.

Virginie de Valandraud. Deep aroma here of dark fruit. A good fruit palate feel. Some hint of dry heat, but not grating. Nice sap here. Somewhat big on the finish…  again this is a big style, but nicely done and I am sure that this will obtain higher points from people who like the style.

Valandraud. Usually between 15,000 and 20,000 produced annually. Black wine. Deep and rich. Perfumed black fruit. New World. But not drying. A very pleasing richness, Hint of heat on the finish or is it the Baroque note I sense? I am not sure if the 100% new oak is really necessary. Again! But, in the end, Jean Luc and Murielle have accomplished a style here with suave tannins. A bit of heat, again, on the finish, but overall a wine that will wow many a critic, deservedly so.

Virginie Blanc. This is rather fresh – served warm. Peach, grapefruit. Not much new oak… Quince. We are far from yellow colored modern wines. This is quite nice. Even a touch of minerality. Fine. Nice echo here when the glass is emptied. Less than 30% new oak. Not sure what the price will be, but I would buy this, yet another example of how 2010 is a fine vintage for whites.

Valandraud Blanc. This is more peach like. More mineral. About 50% new oak not heavily toasted… Jean Luc does not like new oak in his whites. Well, how about that! Muriel wants to make Burgundy in Bordeaux, and she seeks freshness. Good for her. She has achieved it with a lovely white, again.

What a bargain!

Chateau Lafont Fourcat 2009: Now this is not a Thunevin wine, but by golly he sells it and good on him. Where else can you get a very drinkable and ripe Bordeaux for… €5 a bottle, and enjoy the stuff. The nose is strawberry jam, rather simple and straightforward, and although the 14% is felt – warm on the palate and on the nose (my inner traditionalist over-worrying), it tastes smooth and delicious and even has a Bordeaux earthiness about it that does not scream New World. To be sure, I served it to fellow writer Jane Anson and her husband Francis and… they both loved it. Over dinner at Chateau Raymond Lafon, I served it blind to Bernard Burtschy, a famous French wine critic, and he said it was just fine. Furthermore, this wine has obtained great reviews in LRVF and also in Sudouest, the local newspaper, Jean Luc said. Well, I am convinced. Bravo! I bought a full 12-bottle case for just 60 euros.