Chateau Haut Cadet St Emilion Grand Cru / 2019 / 750mL

Château Haut Cadet 2019 is a Merlot-led Saint-Émilion Grand Cru from Bordeaux, generous in fruit but held in check by the firm, savoury frame the appellation is known for. The warm, dry 2019 growing season across the Right Bank gave ripe, deeply coloured fruit without tipping into heaviness, and that balance shows in the glass.

Dark plum, black cherry and a little fruitcake spice lead the aromatics, with earthier suggestions of tobacco leaf, dried herbs and damp forest floor sitting underneath.

The palate is medium to full bodied, with plush dark fruit across the front and fine-grained tannins that firm up through the middle. Acidity keeps the whole thing fresh rather than sweet, and the finish is dry and gently savoury, closing on cedar and graphite.

Classic Bordeaux fare suits it best: roast lamb with rosemary and garlic, a slow-braised beef cheek, duck breast with cherries, or a plate of hard cheeses and charcuterie. It also handles mushroom-heavy dishes well, from a wild mushroom tart to a rich barley risotto.

Drinking nicely now with an hour in a decanter, and the structure to hold through to around 2030. If you are opening a bottle in the next year or two, give it air and serve a touch below room temperature.