The Guinaudeau family is renowned for Château Lafleur in Pomerol, yet the family home is Grand Village, located in Fronsac. On 18ha of prime clay and chalk soil, Baptiste and Julie Guinaudeau craft this excellent-value, high-class Bordeaux blend. Merlot-dominant with leafy Cabernet Franc, fermented in concrete and aged in wood for 15 months, this shows the potential for the limestone soils of Fronsac. (AH)

The red 2016 Château Grand Village is also brilliant. Mostly Merlot, it offers a structured, powerful, almost backward vibe as well as terrific black cherry and blackberry fruits. Showing more earth, herbal notes, hints of graphite, and spice with time in the glass, it’s a serious Merlot that deserves 2-3 years of bottle age and will keep for 15+ years. 93+

Very classic, the 2016 Grand Village offers up a fruity, fresh bouquet with elegant aromas of dark berries, spices, plums and flowers, all framed by menthol hints. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, fleshy and juicy, suave and sappy with structuring tannins and bright acids that bring an ethereal finish. (YC)