Château Poujeau Saint-Genès 2019, Bordeaux Supérieur

Château Poujeau Saint-Genès is a classic Bordeaux red from a family-run estate, bottled under the Bordeaux Supérieur appellation, which has stricter rules on yields than straightforward Bordeaux and is generally used for riper, more concentrated wines. It is a blend of the traditional Bordeaux grapes, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, made by the Mazet family, who look after everything from the vineyard to the cellar, with the family tasting the grapes in the vineyard to judge flavour and ripeness before picking.

In the glass it is a deep red. The nose shows pronounced ripe red fruit with a spiced, toasty edge. The palate is forward and attractive, medium-bodied, round and supple, with expressive, fairly concentrated fruit that leads to a soft, smooth and long finish.

Serve at around 16–18°C. It is a lovely partner for roast beef, steak, pork, veal, roast poultry, game such as venison, and strong or mature cheeses. Château Poujeau Saint-Genès is drinking well now, with its tannins softened, and is best enjoyed over the next few years.

Château Poujeau Saint-Genès is a family estate in Bordeaux, making red wine under the Bordeaux Supérieur appellation. It is very much a family affair: Claude Mazet oversees the winemaking and the cellar, while Arnaud Mazet and his wife Nathalie are developing new directions for the vineyard. The next generation is involved too, with the Mazet children helping out in the vines at harvest time, tasting the grapes to check their flavour and ripeness before picking begins. The estate grows the classic Bordeaux varieties of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, and its Bordeaux Supérieur is made in a forward, supple and fruit-led style.