Château Rol Valentin

Château Rol Valentin was considered one of earlier garagiste wines when it debuted in 1994. The estate drew a lot of attention as it was also the property of Eric Prissette, a famous soccer player. Over the years, the property has grown in size and today it now boasts 7.5 hectares, which technically no longer makes it a vin de garage. In 2009, Eric sold the château to Nicolas Robin, the nephew of the famous Robin sisters who owned Lafleur and Le Gay for many years, and his wife who is also the daughter of Leclerc's (hypermarché) famous wine buyer, Jean-Luc Roché. Like many Right Bank estates, Stéphane Derenoncourt is their consulting oenologist. Their wines tend to be rich and velvety, with a slathering of new oak (70%). Yet, they retain a sense of elegance and of place. Their second wine, Les Valentines, is produced from younger vines and those not deemed “Rol” level.