The Paul Bara Bouzy Rouge 2018 is a still red Pinot Noir from the grand cru village of Bouzy in Champagne, and it sits at the lighter, more perfumed end of French reds. Expect red fruit and fine tannin rather than depth of colour or weight.

Aromatics lead with raspberry, morello cherry and a little redcurrant, backed by dried rose petal, forest floor and a twist of black tea. The palate carries the warmth of the 2018 season in Champagne, a hot and generous year that ripened Pinot Noir fully, so the fruit is riper and rounder than Coteaux Champenois often manages, with sweet cherry flesh through the middle.

Tannins are fine-grained and gently chalky, framing a medium-bodied wine that stays bright thanks to the cool-climate acidity you only get this far north. The finish is savoury and long, closing on cranberry skin and a mineral, slightly saline edge.

Serve it with a slight chill alongside roast duck, mushroom risotto, charcuterie or a simple roast chicken. Soft washed-rind cheeses work nicely too, as does anything with beetroot or lentils.

Drinking well now, this Bouzy Pinot Noir should hold and slowly build tertiary complexity through to around 2030.