Clos Cantenac, L'Exuberance Rosé, Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France 2022

Herbal edged strawberries on the nose. Tangy and full of energy, a lovely purity and crispness to it, unctuous with mouthwatering acidity, but precise and pure, there’s clarity and fruitiness with a chalky, wet stone and flint undertone giving the mineral direction and terroir influences. A really lovely gourmet style that would work well with food but also the acidity gives such life and zing. Well constructed and appealing chalkiness, subtle but still with intensity. Great frame and length, balance, determination and precision - you can feel this has been crafted.

This is a Merlot I’ve bought several times over the years for its unique brilliance as modern Bordeaux like no other. Made by rising Right Bank force Lolly Krajewski, this shows pristine, lemon-sharp aromas around a raspberry core with a rolling chorus of dried herbs beneath. It is a rosé of quiet grandeur, with peach-cherry scrumptiousness underpinned by more savoury depth than previous vintages. A gastronomic rosé fit for every al fresco dining table – prime your ice buckets and snap this up.