Andy Frieden, JJ Buckley, April 2011

90% merlot, 10% cabernet Franc. From a 7.3 hectare vineyard planted to 40% sandy soils north of La Gomerie and 60% in clay and limestone soils east of the town of St. Emilion (next to Valandraud and Fleur Cardinale). Average age of vines is 43 years, with yields of only 30 hls/ha. Table-sorted before and after de-stemming. Malo and aging on the lees in 75% new and 25% one-wine old barrels. Alcohol of14.5-14.7%. Perfumed rose petals and super ripe black fruits with some loamy clay soil on the nose. A big expansion of the mid-palate from an attack of ripe and densely packed black plums, currants, cassis liquor and boysenberry fruit. Super refined now with a very long and supple finish. Stéphane Derenoncourt consults.

91 points,

James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, March 2013

Expressive dense nose with coffee, nutmeg and roasted hazelnuts. Cranberries and plums. Wonderful sweetness of fruit on the palate with loads of crushed chalk. Finely knit and silky. Super soft tannins and quite elegant finish. Better in 2015.

Jancis Robinson, April 2011

Dark crimson. Minerally, racy nose and then very rich on the palate. Tannins well managed. Really long and punchy. Very complete. 17 out of 20

90 points,

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, November 2012

Tasted in Hong Kong at the Wine & Trade Fair, this is a fine Saint Emilion. It has an attractive nose of dark plum, violets and a touch of glycerine. It is showy but well mannered. The palate has a rounded, glossy entry with noticeable oak. It is sweet and fleshy, velvety smooth in the mouth with an opulent finish reminiscent of 2009 rather the 2010. This should age well.

92 points,

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, March 2013

A strong showing from this blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc that hit 14.7% natural alcohol, the 2010 Rol Valentin exhibits oodles of sweet black currant and black raspberry fruit along with some toasty oak and a note of charcoal embers in a full-bodied, opulent, showy, even flamboyant style that seems to beg comparison to 2009. This wine should drink beautifully for 10-15 years.

92 points,

Wine Spectator, March 2013

Rounded and ripe, with dark blackberry and boysenberry flavors melded with ganache, melted black licorice and Black Forest cake. Lush, but with a lovely smoldering charcoal hint to keep this honest on the finish. Best from 2014 through 2025. -JM

About Winery

Château Rol Valentin is one of the new breed of garagiste wines that have emerged in St-Emilion  in the last 10 years. These wines are made in minuscule quantities and are usually very deeply colored, intensely concentrated, and packed with super-ripe fruit with strong hints of new wood.

Rol Valentin has just 5 hectares of vineyards located on the north-western part of the plateau of St-Emilion. Its vineyards are planted with 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Shipping Details

This item ships in Fall 2013

Need it faster? Call us now at (888) 859-4637 for special arrangements.

Free storage available. We offer free 6 months storage for any wine purchased at JJ Buckley. We highly recommend storing your wines during the summer months to avoid heat damage during shipment.

For a shipping quote, add this product to your shopping cart. From there you will be able to enter a zipcode and get a detailed quote. For full details on our shipping policies, click here.