"Odedi"

9.1

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Very pretty color of ruby with a wide reddish rim.

Nice nose with unique aluminum notes.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with red and black fruits, earth, herbs, oak, chocolates, vanilla, licorice, spices, tobacco and peppercorn.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a very tasty Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Bolgheri in Tuscany. Elegant and fruity with nice complexity.

Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel. Easy drinking and needs time to open up properly.

Already tasty and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years.

Elegant and robust. Spicy and fruit forward.

Feels like an old world Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of new world.

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot. Aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, and 6 months in large Austrian barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$30. — 6 months ago

Paul T HB

9.5

A steal on auction
I wouldn’t consider it a 🥩 wine but great with charcuterie
Web info
Chateau Valandraud is represented by the passion of a couple: Jean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud. Following the great success with the wine merchant business in Saint Emilion, they opened their own vineyard to produce their own wine.
In 1989, they bought a small parcel of 0.6 hectare (1.48 acres) located in a small valley near Saint Emilion between Pavie-Macquin and La Clotte. The origin of the wine name is as much geographic (Val: Vallon de Fongaban), as sentimental (Andraud: Murielle’s maiden name). Thus Chateau Valandraud was born.
Little by little, Jean-Luc and his wife purchased several other parcels of vines, and now, the domain represents a total surface of 10 hectares (24.71 acres), located in various areas of Saint Emilion. The diversity of soils and varietals permit the production of 6 different wines: Chateau Valandraud, Chateau Valandraud Casher, Virginie de Valandraud and the 3 de Valandraud (the second wine of Chateau Valandraud and Virginie de Valandraud), Blanc de Valandraud N° 1 and N° 2.
The final blending of the various parcels occurs in the month of March, following a blind tasting with the help of the world famous oenologist, Michel Rolland. — 2 years ago

Byron C Mayes

9.0

Dark ruby red. Inviting nose and lush medium palate of earthy black cherry, fresh mushroom, and slightly woody red plum. Medium acidity. Medium minus tannins. A Burgundy for the New World drinker. Just enough fruit and a well regulated militia of oak, tannins, and acidity make for a PN that’s true to its roots yet approachable to the novice. A wide variety of cuisines will pair nicely. I went with very authentic (read, “spicy”) Ethiopian fare. Drink now through 2028. — 3 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Quite deep ruby with wide terracotta , garnet rim . Quite deep slightly funky , red focused sous bois . Tobacco , slightly herbal notes . Quite concentrated but slightly flat red fruited sous bois , tobacco tinged , mineral , grafite finish. Not the best bottle of this , a bit funky and lacks a little exuberance and clarity on the nose and palate. Drink now and over the next few years on this showing. A pity but that is sometimes the way the wine world works ! — 8 months ago

"Odedi"

9.0

Pretty color of ruby with a wide reddish rim.

Light nose of red fruits with light wood and chocolate notes.

Medium bodied with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with red currants, cherries, light oak, spices, licorice, earth, herbs, chocolates, tobacco leaf and peppercorn.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and raspberries.

This is a young Mourvedre from Washington State. Showing mild complexity and a soft mouthfeel.

Feels like a Cotes du Rhône red, right out of the bottle. After 90 minutes of airtime it feels more like an old world Pinot Noir. Interesting stuff.

Would be nice to revisit it in a couple of years and see how it evolves.

Soft, spicy and elegant. Easy drinking and good by itself or with food.

100% Mourvedre grapes were handpicked, 50% whole Cluster. A small production of only 14 barrels. Unfined.

14% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$65. — 9 months ago

"Odedi"

9.0

Deep purple in color with a wide reddish/ purplish rim.

Full bodied and elegant with medium acidity. Dry and rich on the palate.

Showing black currants, black plums, ripen cherries, wood, spices, peppercorn, barnyard, vegetables, herbs, espresso and violets.

Short finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is my first Syrah from Greece. An interesting wine. Fruit forward with an old world feel. Definitely feels like a fruit forward Syrah.

This 6 year old is drinking very elegantly now, with nice complexity and balance. Spicy and engaging.

Peaking now and will continue to drink nicely in the next few years. I gave it 2 hours to open up.

Good by itself and better with food. Will pair nicely with lamb dishes.

100% Syrah grapes were hand harvested and aged in French oak barrels for 12 months. Unfined and unfiltered.

14% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$30. — 2 years ago

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.3

There are a few wines in the world that you can really never go wrong with. And by that I mean there are a few wine producers in the world whose every product is simply fantastic. For me, one of those is Müller-Catoir from Germany’s Pfalz region. Founded in 1744 this regal family estate makes fantastic wines across a wide range of prices from their roughly 60 acres of estate vineyards. This is a perfect examples, with its electric acidity and minerality encased in Asian pear, mandarin orange oil, and honeysuckle brightness. With just a whisper of sweetness it goes down so easy you blink and half the bottle is gone. Ding! — 3 years ago

"Odedi"

8.9

It's time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.

Ruby in color with a wide reddish rim and medium intensity.

Nice nose with red fruits, light oak, spices, chocolates, licorice and peppercorn.

Medium bodied with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with red currants, cherries, raspberries, earth, black coffee, bitter vegetables, light oak, spices, dark chocolates and peppercorn.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and cranberries.

This Australian Merlot is drinking nicely now. Earthier than I expected it to be. Feels like a blend of new and old world.

Showing a soft and plush mouthfeel, and a bit bitter once it opens up.

Easy drinking and better after a couple of hours of airtime. Changes every 30 minutes in the decanter. Interesting.

I had a few different vintages years ago, and it is a completely different wine today.

Aged in American oak barrels. Vegan.

15.5% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$30. — 9 months ago

Byron C Mayes

9.0

Deep and clear butterscotch gold. Big bosomy nose of baked quince and true butterscotch. Medium full palate confirms the nose adding lemon rind, birch, and a hint of white pepper. Bracing acidity from entry to moderate finish supports it all. Ripe, New World fruit pairs with a cool Burgundian structure to make a great pair for a wide range of fare, from seafood to cream sauces to roasted fowl or pork. Take to Thanksgiving dinner or hold through 2026. — a year ago

"Odedi"

9.1

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Strong spicy nose of raspberries, sweet cherries, light oak, spices, licorice, earth, eucalyptus, herbs and peppercorn.

Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with plums, cherries, raspberries, spices, light oak, herbs, licorice, dark chocolates, peppercorn and earth.

Spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cranberries.

This is a very tasty Merlot based Bordeaux blend from Washington State. An Interesting wine that feels more like a Right Bank Bordeaux. Tangy and spicy.

Right out of the bottle it definitely feels like a new world wine, but once it opens up it changes.

This 3 year old is so very young, and would be better in 3 to 5 years. Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

I really enjoyed the nose, once it opened up. The palate needs some more bottle time, but it has good potential.

Needs time to open up properly, so be patient. I used the Zencore to expedite the process. Took about 8 minutes.

I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.

A blend of 60% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels (55% new).

14.3% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$50. — 3 years ago