Its vineyards are nearly all planted to Merlot, with a small amount of Cabernet Franc, and tended with meticulous care. As you can see from critics' scores, it is an admired claret and one that ages very well too. Matured in French oak (50% new), it has structure and length, but above all an appealing depth of luscious fruit and spice – like Christmas in a glass! It’s a luxurious sipper, ideal with cheese after the Christmas feast. “Spiced plums and cocoa-dusted blueberries ... Succulent" (James Suckling, 94pts)

This is one of those 'under-the-radar' regions I love to search out, home to the finest quality wines, but not so well-known. As Wine International says, "If it weren't for the [political] line dividing Castillon from Saint-Émilion, its wines would be twice the price. The hills are the same, the soil is the same, the exposure is the same." The estate has won over 150 awards, including the Paris Lauréat Prix d'Excellence – not once, but twice – and Decanter magazine calls it the "leading estate in the Côtes de Castillon". La Clarière is our flagship wine and absolutely no expense is spared. Low yields, careful hand-sorting, months ageing in the finest new French oak, and rigorous tasting ensure only the best parcels become La Clarière. Mostly Merlot, silky, elegant, and supple, with a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon for structure, and slightly portioned Malbec and Cabernet Franc for balance. It's truly magnificent!

Hasn't Malbec come a long way! It used to produce the tough, tannic reds of SW France, then Argentina got a hold of it and made it a worldwide star. Not to be out done, France is revisiting this grape and, with refined techniques and careful handling, showing just how appealing its wines can be. Hervé discovered a plot of 30-year-old vines in the Languedoc's Vallée de l'Orb, on soils covered with big boulder-like stones that promote grapes with lovely intensity and ripeness. Impressed, he bagged the lot. Hand harvesting, gentle handling, and just a short time on its skins, have resulted in a silky, ripe, supple wine, with ample fruit tinged with herbs and liquorice. A fine choice with marinaded pork chops, roast chicken or veggie kebabs.

Our scout and buyer for the Languedoc-Roussillon is Mark Hoddy. He's always searching the region's vineyards, to check out the vintage and the finest parcels of grapes. This is an ace find Mark discovered first in 2019 via an old friend in Corbières. Close by is Domaine La Lirande, a small estate founded in 1912 by the grandfather, François, in the tiny village of Coulobres. Every year, the Syrah from the domaine's 8 hectares of 40-year-old vines stands out for quality. Just taste the richness of this seductive red. Ripe black fruit, velvety, with smoky liquorice and wild herb notes, it's young, so best with hearty dishes like pasta bake or at a barbecue.

Fronsac's fine Château Dalem perches high on a hill, surrounded by its 14 hectares of sloping vineyards. It's an historic estate, with records dating back to 1610, that stayed in the same family until 1955. Michel Rullier then took it over and today it's run with great success by his descendant, Brigitte Rullier-Loussert. Its vineyards are nearly all planted to Merlot, with a small amount of Cabernet Franc, and tended with meticulous care.

As you can see from critics' scores (92 points from James Suckling and 94 from Vertedevin), it is an admired claret and one that ages very well too. Matured in French oak (50% new), it has structure and length, but above all an appealing fruity depth. Perfect with roast meat or wild mushroom risotto.

Lying close to Margaux's Châteaux Giscours and du Tertre, Château Cazauviel remains surprisingly under the radar. It was inherited by Régis Bernaleau from his father in 1978 and today remains in family hands. It is situated on the prized gravel soils of the Arsac plateau, which lends both an intensity and a finesse to the wine. This pretty claret is from a vintage struck by early April frosts – the most devastating for many years.

It reduced yields, but as Decanter wrote, "there are some excellent wines." Most, like Cazauviel 2017, are not long keepers, but makes delightful drinking now. Ideally open a couple of hours before serving and decant. It'll make a delicious glass with roast chicken with morels or a mushroom croustade.