An outstanding Merlot from a maverick Bordeaux producer Jean-Luc Thunevin who doesn't mind breaking a few "rules" to make a great wine. Notes from the man himself:
'95% merlot, 5% cabernet franc, with
vines at least 40 years old in a great terroir of clayey limestone.
I was thinking of creating this cuvee when the Vin de Pays de France
appellation would be launched. It would give me the opportunity to blend
grenaches or carignans from Maury with our merlots from Pomerol, Saint Emilion
or Bordeaux. Unfortunately, regulations for table wine move very slowly and
doesn’t allow to list a vintage.
I was able to create this 2005 cuvee, as one would say during the Academy
Awards, thanks to my parents without who this would have been impossible; my
wife and my daughter who accept my crazy ideas, my bank who keep on backing me,
hoping that it will work, my past and future customers who always trust me,
wine merchants from Bordeaux and brokers (who for this time are not the reason
for this cuvee!), and especially, I thank: Robert Parker who gave me the idea
to call this cuvée Bad Boy in one of his comments on Valandraud:
“A
terrific effort from bad boy and leading
garagiste, Jean-Luc Thunevin, and his sidekick, Murielle Andraud, the
inky/blue/purple-tinged 2005 Valandraud exhibits superb aromas of graphite,
black currants, blackberries, violets, white chocolate, sweet licorice, and
espresso roast. Boasting great intensity, full-bodied power, beautiful purity,
and layers of complexity, this stunning wine should be unusually long-lived.
Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025+."'
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