Producer · Languedoc-Roussillon, France

Haut-Blanville

Bernard and Beatrice Nivollet swapped Paris for the Languedoc in 1995, set on making their own wine. They founded Château Haut-Blanville in Pézenas, near Montpellier, in the late 1990s.

They were drawn by the region's mix of soils and have slowly built up their vineyards. Today they farm 40 hectares in the Grés de Montpellier appellation and another 30 under the Pays d'Oc label. It is warm and dry here, but sea breezes keep the wines fresh.

The farming blends sustainable, organic and biodynamic ideas, with no chemical fertilisers. Bernard makes the wine himself. His whole-bunch Merlot, made in steel, is soft, fruity and very good value.

Winery at Pézenas, Languedoc-Roussillon · Merlot · £11.99 a bottle