Château Valandraud: The 1992 Vintage
The 1991 vintage, blighted by the year’s reputation and produced in only tiny volumes, did not make a great splash in the pool that is Bordeaux. It was really not until the 1992 vintage, a growing season no less difficult than that of 1991 for the region, that the rest of Bordeaux – and subsequently the entire wine-drinking world – sat up and began taking notice.
The problem in 1992 was not frost, but rain, and plenty of it. Jean-Luc and Murielle continued their dedicated work ethic though, and in the damp conditions Murielle carried out extensive leaf-thinning in the vineyards in order to improve ventilation and reduce the risk of rot. Similarly, draconian green harvesting and selection brought the yields down to just 30 hl/ha, enough for 4500 bottles of Château Valandraud, with some wines channelled into a second wine Virginie de Valandraud, named for Jean-Luc and Murielle’s daughter (note this cuvée should no longer be considered the second wine – see the next page on vineyards and wines for more information on the Valandraud portfolio today). As a result of the work in the vineyard and their strict approach to yields the wine was reputedly (I confess I haven’t tasted it) very good, a fact that must have stood out all the more plainly in a vintage where quality across the board was weak.
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