CHÂTEAU VALANDRAUD IS THE MAIN ACHIEVEMENT OF A WINE OBSESSED COUPLE, JEAN LUC THUNEVIN AND MURIELLE ANDRAUD. CHÂTEAU VALANDRAUD WAS BORN IN 1991 ON A 0.6 HA VINEYARD BOUGHT WITH ALL THE COUPLE’S SAVINGS. THIS SMALL VIENYARD IS SITUATED IN THE FONGABAN VALLEY, IN THE PAVIE MACQUIN /LA CLOTTE NEIGHBOURHOOD AND THIS IS WHERE « VALANDRAUD » COMES FROM : VAL ( VALLEY) + ANDRAUD ( MURIELLE’S FAMILY NAME, WHICH APPEARS ON THE SAINT EMILION’S REGISTERY SINCE 1459). The 8.88 ha estate is now fully based on the clayey-limestone hills and slopes of Saint Etienne de Lisse, with an eclectic array of grape varieties : Merlot 65 %, Cabernet Franc 25%, Cabernet Sauvignon 5%, Malbec 4%, Carmenère 1%. The harvest is done manually, the grapes being first sorted by the harvest crew directly in the vineyard, they then go through another sorting : a densimetric one through Tribaie® upon their arrival in our cellar. Stainless steel, wooden and concrete tanks are where the vinification process starts, with pigeage by hand, remontages, during a 3 weeks maceration. Malolactic fermentation is done in barrels. Ageing : 18 to 30 months in 100% new oak Blending varies with every vintage, as the result of the careful selection work done by our technical team in order to choose our best lots. All along this process, there are also many tasting sessions led by Jean Philippe Fort and Michel Rolland.