Château Caronne Ste-Gemme 2020/21, Haut-Médoc

When the neighbours’ wines go for £50+ a bottle you know you’re onto a good thing. Caronne St-Gemme is only 500 yards from St Julien, next door to Château Gruaud-Larose and Château Lascombes – and itself produces classed-growth quality fruit. That makes it not just one of the most reliable Cru Bourgeois – it’s also one of the best value. It’s classic Haut-Medoc, predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon which means it has a firm structure and lots of tannin – so it’s great with protein, and can age fantastically. It’s packed with really rich, dark fruit flavours. Plum. Blackberry. Classic Cabernet cassis. Delicious with roast red meat.