2005 Château Belgrave, Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux

The most widely planted grape in Bordeaux and a grape that has been on a relentless expansion drive throughout the world in the last decade. Merlot is adaptable to most soils and is relatively simple to cultivate. It is a vigorous naturally high yielding grape that requires savage pruning - over-cropped Merlot-based wines are dilute and bland. It is also vital to pick at optimum ripeness as Merlot can quickly lose its varietal characteristics if harvested overripe.

Despite being as visually unprepossessing as the rest of the Médoc, this large red-wine appellation is home to some of the world’s greatest wines. Its 4,500 hectares of vineyards form a largely continuous strip that follows the Gironde from St Seurin-de-Cadourne to Blanquefort. All the great communes of the Left Bank fall within its boundaries: Margaux, St Julien, Pauillac and St Estèphe.

Château Belgrave, classed as a 5ème Cru Classé in the 1855 Classification, was a run-down property producing fairly mediocre wines until 1980. Salvation came in the form of the Bordeaux firm, Dourthe, which bought Belgrave and immediately renovated the cuverie and cellars, as well as extensively replanting the vineyards. By the mid 80s, cult oenologist Michel Rolland was consulting and the subsequent rise in quality has been meteoric.