Andrew Jefford | Saturated, dense midnight-black; opaque at the core and purple-scarlet at the rim. Earthy and sweet-oaky in scent, with plum, damson, and prune fruits; incense, too. Lots of exotic allure here, though not much classic 2016 fresh-fruit lift. Licorice, anis, and herbs in the aromatics, too. On the palate, it is weighty and pure-fruited, dramatic, long, and showy, with very fine-falling tannins and lively acidity. Great poise, freshness, vigor, and sap. As always with Valandraud, we have a wine of huge effort and ambition—but huge skill, too; a very far call from the stereotype accorded it by some. I am a big fan, and this is a very rewarding wine... but for me the vintage style of 2016 doesn’t suit the wine in the way that 2015 (for example) did; the relatively bright acidity seems to make the oak stand out a little too much, and the sculpted and aquiline fruits on their own can’t quite support the overall flamboyance of style. It just seems to lack a little natural articulation this year, though it is fine, serious wine. | 92

Michael Schuster | Inky! Intense nose, sweetly blackberry ripe and oak-cedary nose; full-bodied, fresh, very firmly tannic; deep, crisply sweet, chewy textured, a wine with an abundance of both flavor and sinew, where its force threatens to overwhelm its finesse; complex and with good length, but certainly requiring both time and/or very flavorsome fare. 2030–45+. | 91?