Chateau Perron: a rising star from Lalande-de-Pomerol 

*£12 a bottle by the case before tax (equivalent to £16.90 inc duty & VAT) 

It's a myth that all Bordeaux is expensive. Sure, some of the most expensive bottles in the world have come from Bordeaux. A bottle of first-growth claret will set you back a fortune. But with some 8,000 chateaux in Bordeaux, many frankly unknown or struggling to be heard, there is also a lot of good wine to be had at a very good price.

There was more than one bottle that leapt out at us at a recent tasting of affordeaux - you'll see some examples on our shelves in the upcoming months. But the bottle that really grabbed our attention was a Lalande-de-Pomerol, Chateau Perron. Lalande-de-Pomerol sits just to the north of Pomerol proper, and the Perron offers classic right-bank character at a fraction of a typical Pomerol price. One of the most highly-regarded chateaux in its appellation, the quality of the Perron terroir (not to mention vines with an average age of 65 years) shone through when we tasted.

It's not a new chateau, having been built when the English Civil War was in full swing. For the last three generations, it has been in the hands of the Massonie family. Current incumbent Bertrand Massonie combines a respect for the terroir and history of the chateau with considerable drive and technical skill, and the chateau has undergone a small renaissance under his stewardship. The blend is fairly classic right bank (80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon) as befits the sand-on-gravel vineyard soils. Vineyard practices are careful and along lutte raisonee principles. In the cellar, in recent years they have dialled back on the new oak and the resulting 2011 is seamless. /NT

Available late spring 2017