Château du Cèdre L'Improbable 2024 is a bright, light-framed Malbec from South-West France, made in a juicy, thirst-quenching style rather than the dark, brooding one the variety is known for. Pale in the glass and gently structured, it drinks more like a fresh red than a heavyweight.

Aromas lean towards crushed raspberry, red plum and violet, with a peppery lift and a faint earthy note underneath. The palate follows the nose closely: sappy red fruit, a hint of pomegranate and a savoury edge that keeps the fruit honest.

Tannins are fine and barely there, the acidity is lively, and the texture is light and supple through the middle. Certified organic and drawn from vines of around thirty years, this Vin de France finishes clean and dry with a lingering red-fruited tang rather than any grip or weight.

Serve it with a light chill alongside charcuterie, roast chicken, mushroom risotto, duck rillettes or a plate of grilled lamb skewers. It also handles tomato-based pasta and picnic food better than most reds from the South-West.

Drink from now through to 2028, with the fruit at its most vivid over the next two years.