2015 Chateau Valandraud Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe (1.5 L) Magnum

As one of the original Right Bank garagistes, Jean-Luc Thunevin will always be somewhat of an outsider. But by now, collectors have learned that his flagship Château Valandraud is 100% at home with the absolute cream of Bordeaux. 

Look no further than Thunevin’s 2015 Valandraud, a gorgeous and towering St.-Émilion Premier Grand Cru that Jeb Dunnuck honored with 99 points, calling it a “hedonistic dream.” With that score, Valandraud outpaces some of the most coveted collector wines on Earth: Cheval Blanc, Angélus, Lafite... Valandraud eclipses them all.

But here’s where the insurgent Valandraud remains apart: The First Growths and long-established marquee names of Bordeaux all cost between $430 and $1,000 per standard-sized bottle. Thunevin’s masterpiece beats them all in price—at that is for a MAGNUM!

We repeat: Undeniable First Growth-level quality. Same (or better) critic score. Better price… and TWICE the wine.

That makes the 2015 Valandraud the definition of a collector no-brainer. It’s going to age beautifully in this large-format bottle—Dunnuck said it would be “a candidate for perfection at maturity”—so plan accordingly, although it might be hard to keep your hands off of it now. Rich ruby-purple in color, showing tons of black and blue fruit accented by cedar and hard spices, it’s bold and forward, but displays classic restraint that speaks to the regal nature of Bordeaux’s Right Bank. 

Drink it in the near term or lay it down for the long haul—either way, you cannot lose with this wine. 

Three decades ago, Jean-Luc Thunevin quit his day job to make wine in one of the world’s most revered regions. He had little money, no cellar of his own, and most importantly, no fear of enraging the appellation’s power structure. That came in handy when Valandraud surpassed wines made by the vignerons who criticized Thunevin’s early efforts.

What raised the ire of St.-Émilion’s old guard was Thunevin’s conviction that he could use nontraditional winemaking techniques to make great wine from “modest” terroir. His first grapes grew in sandy soils, not the traditionally revered clay and limestone. He plucked leaves to reduce yield and concentrate flavors, which is now a common practice. He crushed and destemmed grape clusters by hand in his garage, since he couldn’t afford equipment. 

Thunevin’s reputation grew, and famed consulting winemaker Michel Rolland added his expertise to the project. Finally, in 2012, Valandraud officially became one of the great wines of the Right Bank, when it was classified Premier Grand Cru Classé.

The 2015 Château Valandraud is a prime example of what made Thunevin a star. Vinous calls it “about as good as it gets,” and it comes at a fraction of the price of bottles from the legendary estates. Collectors: Bordeaux deals don’t get much better than this.