Chateau Carbonneau Classique 22/23

Chateau Carbonneau Classique is the easy-going side of Bordeaux, built around plush Merlot with a dash of Malbec. Expect ripe red berries, cherry and touches of cocoa and candied fruit, carried by a soft, rounded palate and a fresh, generous finish. From a family-run estate in Sainte-Foy Côtes de Bordeaux, France, it also has a genuine New Zealand connection through co-owner Jacquie Franc de Ferriere. Made for drinking young rather than hiding away, this is a very handy red for roast lamb, grilled sausages, beef burgers or a relaxed cheese board.

What the winery says:

The 2022 and 2023 releases are listed as 90% Merlot and 10% Malbec, grown on Carbonneau's clay-limestone slopes around Gensac. The wine has a cherry-red colour, with red berry fruit, cocoa and candied-fruit notes, followed by a balanced, gently sweet-fruited entry and a soft, rounded finish. Carbonneau positions Classique as its fruit-forward, approachable red for enjoying young. The estate has been certified organic from the 2022 harvest and biodynamic under Demeter from the 2023 harvest.