# Virginie de Valandraud (2016)

- **Producer:** Vignobles Thunevin
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon
- **Region:** Bordeaux, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.5%
- **Average price:** €50
- **Vegan:** No
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, blackberry, blackcurrant, violet, liquorice, vanilla, cloves, toast, cedar, chocolate, leather, tobacco, forest floor, mushroom

## About this wine

Virginie de Valandraud is the highly acclaimed second wine of Château Valandraud, a Premier Grand Cru Classé B estate in Saint-Émilion. Created in 1992 and named after founders Jean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud's daughter, Virginie, this cuvée has carved out its own legendary status. Jean-Luc Thunevin, famously dubbed the 'Bad Boy' of Bordeaux by Robert Parker, was a pioneer of the 'Garagiste' movement in the late 20th century. Operating initially out of a tiny garage without the backing of a historic estate, Thunevin and Andraud revolutionized Right Bank winemaking through meticulous, non-conformist viticulture. Unlike many second wines that merely use declassified grapes, Virginie de Valandraud has been sourced from its own dedicated Grand Cru parcels since 1997, offering a distinct and formidable expression of the Saint-Émilion terroir.

## Interesting facts

- Named in honor of Virginie, the daughter of founders Jean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud, starting with the 1992 vintage.
- Founder Jean-Luc Thunevin was famously dubbed the 'Bad Boy' of Bordeaux by Robert Parker, sparking the 'Garagiste' movement.
- It is the only second wine of a Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé to be aged in 100% new French oak barrels.
- Since 1997, it has been produced from its own dedicated estate parcels rather than just declassified fruit.

## Food pairing

This rich, structured Saint-Émilion Grand Cru pairs beautifully with robust, savory dishes. The wine's high tannin level and concentrated black fruit profile require proteins with sufficient fat and substance, such as duck, beef, or lamb, which help soften the tannins on the palate. Additionally, the vibrant acidity of the 2016 vintage cuts through rich sauces, while the subtle earthy and spicy notes from the oak aging harmonize wonderfully with wild mushrooms, truffles, and aged cheeses.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for Virginie de Valandraud reflects the meticulous standards of its parent estate. Grapes are harvested by hand from sustainably farmed, high-density vineyards (8,400 vines per hectare) planted on clay-limestone and siliceous-gravelly soils. A rigorous double-sorting process is employed, utilizing both manual sorting in the vineyard and an optical sorting table at the cellar. Fermentation takes place in a combination of temperature-controlled wooden, stainless steel, and concrete vats. Maceration lasts approximately three weeks, with regular manual punching down (pigeage) and pumping over (remontage) to extract color and structure. Malolactic fermentation is completed in concrete tanks and French oak barrels. Uniquely for a second wine, it is aged for 18 to 22 months in 100% new French oak barrels, followed by traditional egg-white fining before bottling.