Château Rol Valentin Saint‑Émilion Grand Cru 2015 is a rich and expressive Right Bank Bordeaux that highlights the generous character of the outstanding 2015 vintage. Dominated by Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Franc, it offers plush aromas of blueberry, crème de cassis and violet, layered with hints of plum, chocolate and warm spice. The palate is full-bodied and structured, showing dense dark fruit supported by refined tannins and subtle oak. As it opens, earthy notes and savoury complexity emerge, leading to a long, powerful finish. Approachable now with decanting, it will continue to evolve beautifully over the coming decade.

The Wine Advocate | RP 90-92
Published: Apr 28, 2016
Drink: 2020-2045

The 2015 Château Rol Valentin has a rich and opulent bouquet with plush blueberry and crème de cassis fruit, violets tucked just behind. The palate is full-bodied with dense but not jammy black fruit, quite structured with a dash of spice towards the powerful finish. It feels feisty and feral at the moment, but I suspect this will gain more finesse and cohesion once in bottle.

James Suckling | JS 92
Published: Jan 22, 2018

A firm and tight red with plum, berry and chocolate character. Structured and juicy. Medium to full body. A savory finish. Needs two or three years to soften. Drink in 2021.

Decanter | D 91
Drink: 2019-2025

Lovely nose, full of earthy warmth already. Friendly and enticing, with mushroomy folds. Lively, pure, soft-fruited and utterly charming, this is Merlot in a place it loves and at optimum ripeness, and I challenge any wine lover anywhere not to open a bottle of this and smile. The oak is just a little intrusive at this stage but it will sort itself out.
Closure: Cork
Alcohol: 14.50%
Body: Full
Oak: Oaked

Jancis Robinson | JR 16
Published: Jan 23, 2019
Drink: 2024-2034

Tasted blind. Sweet biscuit note. Easy-peasy – not that ambitious but not exaggerated. (JR)

Chateaurolvalentin.com

Vintage : 2015
Area : 7.30 ha
Soil : Old sand over clay (1.80 ha)
Limestone and clay on hills and plateau (5.50 ha)
Grape varietes : 90 % Merlot 10 % Carbernet Franc
Average age of vines : 40 years old
Average density : 7 500 vines/hectare
Yield : 19 HL/HA
Cultivation : Tradional plowing with no use of weed-killers ; pruning and suckering ; selection of bunches after
flowering ; and removal of leaves from june to august.
Harvest : Sorted by foot before the harvest, the grapes are picked in small 10 kg crates, stalked and sorted and, and they
are not trampled.
Winemarking process : The harvesting is done using small crates, and the grapes are sorted among the vines and in the winery, and the poured by gravity into wooden vats from 10 hectoliters to 30 hectoliters. Extraction is performed by punching down. The wine is then transferred into oak barrels along with its less, where it completes the malolactic
fermentation process.
Ageing : After malolactic fermentation, the wine is aged in barrels on less for 14 to 16 months.
Accord mets et vin : An excellent accompaniment to red meat, game or mature cheese
Harvest : The harvest took place from September 29 to October 9.
Consultant winemaker : Stéphane Derenoncourt