Chateau Tronquoy Lalande 2012 is a firm, classically built Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend from Saint-Estèphe in Bordeaux, with more savoury depth than gloss. Now well into its second decade, the 2012 has softened at the edges while keeping the dark-fruited seriousness the commune is known for.

Cassis and dark plum lead, sitting over dried tobacco leaf, cedar and a faint iron note that gives the aroma its Saint-Estèphe accent. The palate follows in the same register: blackcurrant and bramble fruit, a little pencil shaving, then earth and dried herb as it opens in the glass.

Structure remains the point here. Tannins are fine-grained but still assertive, the acidity holds the fruit taut rather than plush, and the finish is long, dry and faintly savoury, closing on graphite and dark cherry skin. Give it an hour in a decanter and the mid-palate fills out noticeably.

Roast lamb with rosemary, a rare porterhouse, slow-cooked beef cheeks or a mushroom and thyme pie all work well, as does a plate of aged hard cheeses at the end of a long lunch.

Drinking well now and through to around 2030 from a good cellar, with the tannin and acid line to hold rather than fade over that stretch.