Every year Mathieu has the opportunity to make a small amount of a wine that is the best that he can make from the vineyard in that particular vintage. Free of the restrictions of the appellation, in 2012 the wine was dominated by the small amount of Syrah we have in the vineyard. Then in 2015 the fabulous Cabernet was given a strand of elegance from the small amount of Chenin Blanc we have.

So what did Mathieu do with the equally fabulous 2016 vintage?

The good news is that he’s made another great and really unusual wine made entirely this year from the Cabernet Franc grape which was so good that he just didn’t want to blend it with anything else! And he’s particularly excited about it as it’s a wine that goes back to his roots in the Loire where (until now!), the best examples of the grape come from.

From very low yields in the best part of the limestone vineyards at the estate, it’s been aged in oak barrels for a year and then bottled.

So what does Cabernet Franc taste like? Mathieu’s tasting notes are “A nose of ripe fruits combine with mint and pepper notes. Smooth and fruity flavours followed by a feeling of freshness and hints of spice. Excellent balance. An expressive and sophisticated wine. It will be great too to tuck away for a few years. But it won’t disappoint either if you can’t resist to try it sooner”.

And the bad news? To ensure it was something special, Mathieu was only able to make a very small quantity – just 300 six bottle cases, which is a lot less than last year. And when it’s gone, it’s gone forever.

To order for UK delivery click here and for Calais collection click here. Available to ship and collect early December.