The wine: Nicely round and viscose on the palate with scents of grapefruit and lemon. It never sees the inside of an oak barrel, so has no creamy, vanilla overtones. Instead it rests on its lees to gain richness and complexity. Nicely crisp on the finish.

The story: Chateau Ducla is part of the story of the renaissance of ordinary decent Bordeaux wine. It has been desperately needed for decades, ever since reasonably-priced Aussie Cabernets and Chardonnays began showing up basic Bordeaux's mean and fruitless offerings. Well, basic Bordeaux isn't basic any longer. Wines like this one show plenty of softness and roundness (from the Semillon ), good crisp acidity (from the Sauvignon Blanc ) and a little hint of grapey perfume (from the Muscadelle )