55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot

Food pairings: Beef, game, and gammon or ham, whose saltiness makes a lovely match, plus savory meat dishes in rich sauces.

Winemaking: In 2019 the Cabernet Sauvignon had an especially fine, delicate tannic structure and the Merlot was remarkably aromatic. The wine aged in 47% new barrels and 53% barrels that had held one previous wine. Pruning, leaf-pulling and harvest are all done by hand.

Vineyards and terroir: The 13 hectares lie in Soussans, in the north of the Margaux appellation, on pebble-rich gravel, sand and clay soils with good water regulation. The nearby Gironde moderates temperatures. Vines average about 40 years old, and one parcel has vines nearly 100 years old, among the oldest in the Médoc. The estate is HVE 3 certified.

Family: The estate is named for Deyrem Valentin, who owned it in 1730 and represented Soussans on the cantonal council of Margaux. Maurice Blanc, grandfather of current owner Jean Sorge, bought it in 1928. Jean's daughter Christelle has led winemaking since 1999, and her sister Sylvie runs the administration.

In the pictures: The château's limestone house in Soussans, in the Margaux appellation (photo: PA, CC BY-SA 4.0).