Imagine being cabernet: it seems everywhere it grows offers picturesque views and a wealth of people who are dedicated to making great wine. Cabernet is a beast that needs taming: and in the hands of Metzer, this has been managed brilliantly while keeping a ‘hands-off’ (is that an oxymoron?) approach.

Skip to the end if you don’t want to hear about the winemaking hoo-ha: the parcels were fermented with wild yeasts, with manual punching down to extract gentle flavours and tannins from those hardy cabernet skins. In this winery, it’s all about being gentle, with grapes gravity fed and basket-pressed before extended time in French barrels (30% new).

Plums, mulberry and charred meat galore. A hint of cured pork with fennel seed, a dash of tobacco spice and a whiff of herbs such as bay, thyme and carraway mingle with the rich blackberries picked straight from a wild bush. This is a seriously sophisticated wine.