Jean-Luc Thunevin’s rise to fame in the world of Bordeaux began with the premier release of his celebrated Chateau Valandraud in 1991. He quickly became known as one of the founding garagiste winemakers, a movement of quality crusaders who strive to make purer, riper wines than had been made in Bordeaux before.

Since turning Bordeaux upside down with Valandraud, Thunevin has spawned a virtual hit parade of “garage” wines, all miniscule production cuvees of rich, concentrated wines from very low yields. Pruning is adapted to each individual vine, systematic leaf thinning, green harvest to limit the number of bunches per vine are all hallmarks of the Thunevin methodology.

He seeks the optimal grape ripeness and has adopted Burgundian techniques of punch down and lees-stirring for perfect concentration. He neither fines nor filters and ages in all new barrels. His adeptness in the vineyard has drawn the attention of other chateau owners, making him one of Bordeaux’ most sought after consultants.

Thunevins avant-garde approach to winemaking led critic Robert M. Parker Jr. to dub him the “bad boy of Bordeaux.” I’m not sure that I see him as a bad boy, but rather a salient guide for a quality revolution in the region.

We were able to sit down with Jean-Luc this week to go through a number of his Bordeaux properties as well some interesting wines from the south of France. Here are some impressions of the wines.

Domaine Chiroulet ‘Les Terres Blanches’ 2007 – A blend of Gros Manseng, Sauvignon Blanc and Ugni Blanc. Quite dry with white flowers and citrus notes. Very light with zippy acidity and a moderate length, but refreshing finish. Great for appetizers, grilled fish and shellfish.

Valandraud ‘#1 Blanc de Valandraud’ 2005 – Quite frankly, given the lofty price tag of this wine (would have to retail for $250), I expected much, much more. It’s a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, but showed a harsh green character in a vintage that didn’t suffer from under ripe grapes. This was a little perplexing...may revisit in the future, but I wouldn’t pick this up now.

Domaine Chiroulet ‘Cote d’Heux’ 2006 – I was very excited to try this wine for the simple fact that you don’t see many 100% Gros Manseng in the marketplace. But alas, it was corked! Yet another argument for screwcap closures, especially for inexpensive whites that are meant to be consumed young.

Domaine Chiroulet ‘Grande Reserve’ 2005 – A blend of Merlot, Tannat and Cabernet Sauvignon. Shows a rich blackberry and cherry fruit flavor profile with a supple texture throughout. There’s plenty of glycerin, good mineral and a long structured finish. This shows a lot of pedigree for its $25 tag.

Baby del Rey Vin de Pays ‘Cotes Catalan’ 2006 – This is a juicy offering of unoaked (stainless steel only) Grenache, Carignan and Syrah. Aromas and flavors of bright bing cherry, strawberry and raspberry are supported by a solid dose of white pepper and is followed up by a lengthy, mineral laden finish. Good value at $20

Calvet-Thunevin Cuvée Constance 2005 – This is another blend of Grenache, Carignan and Syrah with no oak, but instead of stainless steel fermenting and aging, this is done in concrete, allowing for more even temperatures throughout, increased skin contact and more oxidation. The result is a dense, ripe red and black fruit driven wine with a really pure fruit profile. Despite the ripe nature of the fruit, it is well balanced with good acidity, plenty of mineral quality and a long finish. Even better than Baby del Rey for a buck more.

Calvet-Thunevin Cotes de Roussillon ‘Hugo’ 2004 – Not for the faint of heart, this full-throttle blend of Grenache and Carignan with a touch of Syrah comes from 85-100 year old vines. All natural techniques are used here including no green harvesting (not needed with vines of this age) and no fining or filtration. It is a bombardment of blackberry, cherry, crème de cassis and bitter chocolate on the palate and the onslaught doesn’t stop there, continuing on through the finish which lasts a good 45-60 seconds. $60

Chateau Lalande Couturier Bordeaux 2005 – This is a supple, easy drinking, Merlot driven wine from just outside of the Cotes de Blaye. It is an uncomplicated, fruit forward wine showing berry, cassis and cocoa notes with a soft, moderate length finish.

Chateau de Carles Fronsac 2005 – This blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon shows good ripeness but in an elegant, classy demeanor. I’m not typically a fan of this “second” wine, but in 2005, it is a very nice claret for a fair price. $25

Chateau Haut Carles Fronsac 2004 – This is certainly not as soft and ripe as the ’05 Ch de Carles, but it represents a much more serious offering for Bordeaux enthusiasts. Blackberry, cherry, cassis, mineral and cigar box sum up this nicely balanced Fronsac. - $55

Commanderie de Mazeyeres Pomerol 2005 – Nearly all Merlot with a dose of Cabernet Franc, this shows a rich, round and dense mouthful of black fruits laced with cocoa and graphite. The tannins are ripe and well-integrated for a young wine. Very nice indeed. Pomerol is difficult to make well and inexpensively…this is a really nice value. $60

Chateau Franc-Maillet ‘Cuvée Jean-Baptiste’ Pomerol 1999 – It is hard to find any wine in the market with some age on it and I was really looking forward to trying this; however, it did not live up to my expectations, showing a greenness and harshness throughout in regards to tannin and finish. The fruit itself seemed ripe enough with flavors of plum, cherry and milk chocolate. Not a bad wine, but I wouldn’t pay $100 for it.