Andrew Jefford | Saturated dense black-red in color. Fine perfumed fruits on the aroma, with lots of lift and elegance—and a little float of sweet wood. Sweet, classical blackcurrant and plum balanced out by iris and other roots spices. Forthcoming and expansive in aromatic terms, though the fruits themselves are very deep, dark, driving, cool, and pressed, teased to the very edge of ripeness but not much beyond. The tannins are drying at this stage in combination with the high acidity and cool fruits, at least when the wine is tasted without food, though I think there will be evolution ahead and this will not always be the case. As usual for Valandraud, this is an haute couture wine; the balance and feel of the year, though, are Gothic, almost scary. Give it some age, for sure— but not too much (that acidity). Impressive. 2018–30. | 92

Michael Schuster | A dense and powerful presence to smell, if unformed at the moment; very full, very firm in tannin and acidity, a strong, muscular, youthful long-term fine wine; an abundance of practically everything, alcohol, acid, tannin, flavor; a powerful presence, chunky and chewy for the moment, and difficult to see quite how it will develop. Mass and force rather than harmony as yet. Not sure what the future holds here, but time definitely required. 2030–45+. | 91/92