2021 Virginie de Valandraud Blanc

Chateau Valandraud 的高訂白酒，清爽檸檬與白桃，中段帶溫潤橡木感。

為什麼選它？
1) 嚴謹選果 -> 三段人工分選與長時間壓榨，入口純淨而有層次。
2) 橡木桶發酵 -> 帶來油潤中段口感，讓酒體不失新鮮感卻更有厚度。
3) 山坡礦質 -> 粘土石灰土壤與西南坡位賦予清爽酸度與礦感，搭餐毫不費力。

侍酒師私房筆記：倒杯後先嗅到檸檬皮、葡柚和白桃，還有一抹檸草與細緻香料。入口是鮮明的柑橘酸，緊接著橡木帶來的細膩奶油感和中段的厚度，尾段回歸桃子與一絲海鹽感，讓人想再喝一口。建議醒約半小時，溫度偏低可保留活力，稍回溫則更顯層次。

田間與釀造：手工分選、冷藏待壓、長時間壓榨（約5小時），進行桶內發酵並以橡木短期陳年來平衡結構。葡萄園座落在黏土—石灰岩坡地，朝西南，利於累積成熟卻仍保留緊實酸度。

場景化配餐：在香港，這瓶很適合週末海鮮大餐—煎吞拿魚、煮龍蝦配美乃滋，或朋友聚會的海鮮拼盤與半硬質芝士。也適合陽台小酌或節日家宴。

降維打擊對比：比起大牌白酒，這瓶在細緻度與桶味控制上有高端表現，價格卻親和，適合想要質感又想聰明消費的人。輕鬆入手，感受 Bordeaux 的工藝細節。

Soul hook: A haute-couture white from Chateau Valandraud — bright citrus and textured oak in perfect balance.

Why choose it?
1) Meticulous selection -> Three manual harvest selections and long pressing deliver refined purity and depth you can taste.
2) Barrel fermentation & subtle oak -> Adds mid-palate weight and a rounded, textured mouthfeel without masking freshness.
3) Terroir-driven character -> Clay–limestone slopes give mineral lift and an attractive racy acidity that keeps food pairing effortless.

Sommelier's private notes: On first pour the nose pops with lemon, white peach and a hint of lemongrass; oak spices sit gently underneath. The palate is crisp and vibrant — racy citrus and pomelo up front, a creamy mid-palate from barrel fermentation, then a peachy, slightly saline finish that lingers. Best enjoyed slightly chilled after a short aeration to open the oak and soften the edges.

Winemaking notes: Hand-harvested in three selections, grapes are chilled prior to pressing. Long pressing (~5 hours) precedes fermentation in barrels and maturation on oak. The team finalises the blend late, aiming for balance between freshness and texture. Consultant winemaker: Athanase Fakorellis.

Vineyard notes: Vines sit on clay–limestone terroir, planted on south‑west facing slopes that promote ripeness with retained acidity. Yields and selection are strict — this is a focused, limited-production white.

Occasion & pairing: Perfect for a weekend seafood feast — think grilled tuna steaks, langoustine with mayo, or a cheese board with Saint‑Nectaire. In Hong Kong, serve it with a seafood-centric dinner on a breezy terrace or a festive home-cooked meal.

Competitive edge: Delivers the textural complexity of an oaked white from a celebrated Bordeaux name without the sky-high price of top-tier maison bottlings. Precise, terroir-driven and excellent value-for-quality.

Specification

• Alcohol %: 12.5%
• Decant Time: 30 minutes
• Taste: lemon, grapefruit, white peach, pomelo, lemongrass, flint/minerality, spice, textured, racy acidity, peachy finish
• Food Matching: Meaty and oily fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna), Langoustine or lobster with mayonnaise, Prawn fritters / Tortillitas de camarones, Saint-Nectaire or semi-hard cheeses, Grilled monkfish or swordfish
• Grape Variety: Sauvignon Blanc , Semillon , Sauvignon Gris ,

Winery

Chateau Valandraud 由 Jean‑Luc Thunevin 主理，風格偏向精品小批量生產。自2000年開始在莊園旁試種白葡萄，就是要追求細緻與挑戰；從田間分選到桶中發酵，每一步都要求高標準，呈現來自坡地與土壤的風格。

Chateau Valandraud is the owner and origin for Virginie de Valandraud Blanc. Under Jean‑Luc Thunevin’s direction the team pursues a small-lot, haute-couture approach: careful vineyard selection, meticulous sorting and modern winemaking with traditional barrel fermentation. The project began in 2000 to plant white varieties beside the estate, driven by a search for new challenges and precision in every vintage.