Confit Du Canard

Malbec's spiritual home — France's southwest, where the grape is called Cot. Darker, more brooding, less plush than Argentine Malbec; pairs with duck and cassoulet.

Bordeaux's underrated Right Bank — Merlot-led blends with structure, dark fruit, and serious aging potential, at prices a fraction of neighboring Pomerol or Saint-Émilion.

Tannat-based reds from southwest France — inky, tannic, age-worthy, with notes of blackberry and tobacco. The wine for the cassoulet and the long winter night.

Red · Medium · Dry

Cabernet's softer sibling — plum, black cherry, and a whisper of chocolate, framed by rounder tannins and earlier drinkability. The wine that built Pomerol and the one to reach for when Cabernet feels like overkill.

Burgundy's most muscular Pinot Noir village — dense, dark-fruited, structured, with grippy tannins by Burgundy standards. The Pinot for those who normally drink Bordeaux.

A step up from Côtes du Rhône — wines from specific named villages with more concentration and pedigree. Still GSM-based, still food-friendly, just a level more serious.

Loire wines from around the town of Saumur — light, fragrant Cabernet Franc reds, structured Chenin Blanc whites, and some of France's best traditional-method sparkling.

Dessert · Full · Sweet

Bordeaux's legendary sweet white — Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc hit by noble rot, then patiently fermented. Honey, apricot, candied citrus, and a finish that lasts a small eternity. Pair with foie gras, blue cheese, or a fruit tart.

A wine outside our reference catalogue — likely a single-producer or single-vineyard bottling. Open with a small pour to assess body and sweetness, then pair to match its weight.

The Right Bank's grand commune — Merlot-and-Cabernet-Franc blends with rounder tannins and earlier drinkability than the Médoc. Plum, truffle, leather; food-friendly across decades.