The Henri Bonneau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Marie Beurrier 2018 is a full-bodied, old-school Southern Rhône red built on Grenache, with sweet dark fruit sitting inside a savoury, almost rustic frame. Perfumed rather than heavy, it carries the wet-season stamp of the 2018 vintage in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a year of severe mildew pressure and tiny yields rescued by a warm, sunny August and September.

Aromatically the Marie Beurrier leads with black cherry compote, liquorice and pressed rose petal, then turns towards cured meat, dried garrigue herbs and a twist of white pepper. Time in the glass brings out something leafier and more resinous underneath the fruit.

Sweet-fruited on entry, the 2018 is layered and generous through the middle, with velvety tannins doing the shaping rather than the gripping. Acidity keeps the weight in check, and the finish is savoury and earthy, drawing back towards spice and dried herb rather than pushing the fruit any further.

Roast lamb shoulder with rosemary and garlic is the obvious call. It also handles slow-cooked beef cheeks, duck with olives, wood-fired sausages, or a plate of hard sheep's milk cheese and cured meats.

Drinking well from now with an hour in a decanter, and worth holding through to around 2038 for those who like the tertiary, leathery side of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.