Stockist/Retailer: Cadman Fine Wine

(2020) Fronsac is an unheralded but usually reliably good Bordeaux appellation on the Right Bank, where Merlot is the principal grape planted from Bordeaux's famous five. This is 60% Merlot with equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. It's proper old-fashione claret in a way, with a streak of bloodiness and game on the nose, solid and sweet black fruit, but also a little ash and earthy sense of austerity. In the mouth it has lovely balance, walking the same line between solid fruitiness and that backbone of tannin, spice, cedar and savoury acidity, with really quite a long, gastronomic finish. Mixed six price is £18.99. Watch the video for more information and food-matching.

(2020) From Grand Cru vineyards in Avize and Oger, this is a blend of the 2014 and 2015 Chardonnays, disgorged in November 2017, with a dosage of 9.17g/l - all of that information on the back label. Pale straw-gold in colour, lots of miniscule bubbles stream in the glass, the nose taut, with lemon and Cox's pippin, a hint of hazelnut, and nice breadiness. In the mouth the combination of ripe fruit and dosage gives this initial sweetness, but there's a lolvely mineral salts and citrus clarity, the finish long and bone dry, a deliciously drinkable Champagne yet with just enough austerity to please lovers of the purest styles.

(2020) It's actually quite unusual for me to like a house's Rosé as much as their regular Brut or Blanc de Blancs, but Bonville's pink is a beauty. A blend of 2014 and 2015 vintages with 6.57g/l dosage, it's a blend of 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir, this bottle disgorged November 2017, and a striking, dry style of Rosé Champagne. A tinge of orange to the peachy colour leads on to streaming small bubbles and aromas of orange and redcurrant, some truffle and biscuit in the background. In the mouth a cushion of mousse supports bold, dry Seville orange and raspberry, a hint of sothing smoky and mineral, into an exquisite, long, dry finish. Excellent.

(2020) This is an outstanding Burgundy from a single vineyard on Pouilly-Fuissé's most famed terroir, the hill of Vergisson. Fermented and aged in oak, it is absolutely not a shrinking violet, a confident and bold white Burgundy with lashings of creamy, spicy oak, plenty of bold apricot and citrus fruit to balance, and yet an underlying streak of chalky, mineral freshness. In the mouth a great thrust of Seville orange and lemon gives a bittersweet tang, but the toast and creaminess of the oak and again that chalkiness of acidity extends the finish. Terrific.

(2020) Another delightful Premier Cru from Domaine Fourrey, this from the Côte de Léchet is in a creamier, more approachable style, less austere than some but that's far from saying it is at all Chablis, or anything other than an authentic, expressive wine. A touch of fig and apricot joins the salt-streaked apple on the nose, then the palate has that quite creamy, quite opulent character, stone fruits and pear, then the pin-point core of this wine; it's mineral and cool citrus acidity, quietly, efficiently extends the finish, giving this a lovely, tapering quality.

(2020) Sited next door to the most famous Grands Crus, Mont de Milieu is another prime 1er Cru site, and this beautifully ripe and expressive wine opens showing a touch of nuttiness, but much more juicy and creamy apple and stone fruit, just a background susggestion of salty, stony minerals. In the mouth it has Fourrey's hallmark style, which is fullness and supple fruit creaminess, but tensioned and etched by the terroir minerality. Juicy again, with citrus, but long and a delightful style showing both elegance and finesse and a bit of powerful intensity and structure.

(2020) From the Bordeaux Right Bank appellation Côtes de Castillon, this is 95% Merlot with the balance Cabernet Franc. From an obviously ripe and rich year, it's a big bear-hug of a wine, 14.5% alcohol a testament to the ripeness and glorious sweetness of fruit here, yet it is not a wine that feels over-extracted or clumsy. Aromas are the essence of cassis and plum, some pencil-shaving finess in the background. Mouthfilling, creamy and voluptuous black fruit floods the palate, with creamy-soft tannins and a nice stripe of sour plum acidity to give freshness. It's plushness might not suit lovers of more austere, traditional 'claret', but I loved this personality-packed wine.

(2020) With the alcohol pumped up to 15%, this is another succulent and lush Merlot-dominated Right Bank style, but once again those limestone soils ensuring it retains some elegance and freshness too. Like the 2012 there is a plush depth of black fruit sprinkled with a little exotic spice, but it feels a little fresher and more taut at this stage. A deep pool of mulberry and plum fruit has a firm cherry skin edge of acidity - firmer than the 2012 again - and the grippy tannins suggest this needs a few more years, in a wine of great substance and depth. £24.99 as part of a mixed six at time of review.

(2020) Well, all of the wines tasted from Veyry are very good and the chance to buy three vintages a nice way to cellar a 'vertical' from this estate, but I have to say that for me this 2016 is pick of of the bunch. Heady, intense, sweet and ripe, it is very much typical of the wines of this property, but as well as the concentrated, spice-touched black fruits, spiked with incense and mint, there is terrific racy structure, black cherry acids pert and taut, creamy but persistent tannins, and the weight of blackcurrant fruit is sweet and polished through to the finish. It's a hedonistic and sumptuous style, and very, very delicious. £24.99 as part of a mixed six bottles.

(2020) From the Côtes de Castillon, neighbouring Saint-Émilion on the 'Right Bank' of Bordeaux, and a typical blend dominated by Merlot along with Cabernet Franc. This is a big, ripe, even slightly Porty style of wine with 15% alcohol, very much in the plush and modern 'garagiste' style. Saturated and dark, it is brimming with sweet black fruit, a chocolaty density and yet very good savoury aspects thanks to a little oak spice, firm creamy tannins and good acids. An impressive 'entry level' wine from this producer.