The Picardy Merlimont 2019 is a proprietary-named Bordeaux-style red blend from Pemberton in Western Australia, now carrying several years of bottle age that have brought it into a softer, more savoury phase. It has moved past its purely fruit-driven youth into something more layered and complex.

Dried cherry, cedar and a touch of leather sit alongside darker plum fruit and a faint tobacco-leaf note, with earthy, forest-floor characters typical of a red blend that has had time to settle and knit together. The palate is smooth and fully resolved, with none of the firmness of a younger wine.

Tannins have softened considerably and integrated into the wine's overall texture, giving a rounded, gentle finish rather than a firm, youthful grip. Acidity is still fresh enough to keep the wine lively and to stop the developed characters from feeling tired.

This is a red for slow-cooked dishes — braised beef cheek, a mature cheddar board, mushroom and beef pie, or duck ragù with pappardelle.

It is at a lovely drinking stage now and is best enjoyed over the next year or two rather than held any further.