Château la Croix de Grézard, Lussac-St. Émilion 2021

For a reliable, plush, Merlot-dominant claret that doesn't come with an eye-watering price, you don't need to look much further than this. La Croix de Grézard is a small, low-profile English-owned operation where they're quite happy making a decent wine for a sensible price — and are content to keep it that way. Old vines averaging 45 years and a restrained touch of oak give it depth. Dark plums, a touch of warm spice and soft, velvety tannins mean this is exactly what good petit-châteaux claret should always be like.

Roast lamb is the natural match — the fruit and soft tannins sit well against the richness — though a well-cooked steak runs it close. Either way, keep it simple and let the wine do its bit.

Château la Croix de Grézard is a small family-owned estate in the right bank appellation of Lussac-St-Émilion. It was acquired in 1972 by the family behind Imperial London Hotels, a Bloomsbury-based hotel group — originally to supply their hotels with good claret. Since then they've expanded things – a little – and the estate's wines can now be found at a few other places besides. Nonetheless they've stayed resolutely under the radar, perfectly happy to keep their hotels and selected outlets supplied with well-made, unpretentious, good quality claret while remaining a small scale operation. And with no big PR operation to trumpet themselves, they've always been very modestly priced.