Pomegranate, cranberry, red licorice, blue fruits, black cherry and pencil shavings.

This is a plump, fruity wine that goes down very easily. It’s 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, with aromas of red and blue fruits and a distinct note of pencil shavings. It enjoys a soft and full palate that is medium- to full-bodied with ripe black cherry, minerals and earth notes supported by subtle tobacco and spice.

Raymont Jaubert inherited Chateau Landonet in 1970, which had been in his mother’s family for 200 years. The family’s success led to the acquisition of Château Arzac in 1983 and Château Allégret in 2004, which is run by Raymond’s two children, Beatrice and Xavier. Chateau Allégret’s landscape in Entre-Deux-Mers (literally “between two seas,” so called because it’s sandwiched between the tidal waters of the Dordogne and Garonne) is the prettiest of the Bordeaux wine regions, with its gentle hills and scattered medieval villages.

This is a wine for all seasons. It’s versatile with grilled meats, spicy sauces and ripe cheeses, but we suggest our recipe for Rosemary and Garlic Roast Leg of Lamb. The lamb is coated with herbs and garlic before roasting and makes a beautiful bridge of flavors from food to wine. Serve with mashed or roasted potatoes, a nice green salad on the side and a crusty loaf of bread, and you will bask in the praise of your dinner companions.

Although the very top Bordeaux wines command great stature worldwide, they represent a tiny portion of the wines produced. The region makes an astonishing 700 million bottles of wine every year.