Producer · Bordeaux, France

Château Patache d'Aux

Château Patache d'Aux is in the northern Médoc, 10 kilometres from the Gironde estuary. Its first recorded harvest was in 1720.

The name has two meanings: the customs boats that once watched the estuary, and the stagecoaches, shown on the label, that carried noblemen. In 2016 the Right Bank négociant Antoine Moueix Propriétés bought it. They moved to sustainable farming, built a new cellar in 2017 and brought in a new team with consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt.

Cover crops and ploughing have given healthier soils and deeper roots. The 63 hectares are mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, spread over limestone, clay and gravel. Each soil adds something, from freshness to structure to juicy fruit, and together they make a plush red with blackcurrant and spiced plum.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot · £24.49 to £25.49 a bottle