Château Larrivet Haut-Brion 2000 Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France 75cl

Château Larrivet Haut-Brion lies in Pessac-Léognan, the Bordeaux appellation just south of the city that is prized for structured, long-lived reds and fine dry whites. The estate has a long history of producing serious wines in the classic Left Bank mould, built to reward time in the cellar.

This is a Pessac-Léognan red blend of the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that define the region. Cabernet supplies the backbone, the cassis fruit and the firm tannins, while Merlot fills the middle and softens the edges. The aim is structure and length rather than early, showy fruit.

The 2000 vintage is now a fully mature bottle. At more than two decades old a well-kept example moves away from primary fruit towards the savoury, developed notes that patient drinkers prize, so it is a wine to enjoy now rather than to lay down further.

Expect aromas of cedar, tobacco leaf, leather and dark fruit softened by time. The palate should show resolved, fine-grained tannins and a gentle, savoury depth through a long finish. Decant it an hour ahead, watch for sediment, and serve at cool room temperature to show it at its best.

If you appreciate aged Left Bank Bordeaux and the way claret evolves in bottle, this mature Pessac-Léognan is a natural fit. It calls for considered food: roast lamb, game, a rare steak or a wedge of aged hard cheese. This is a bottle for an unhurried dinner rather than a casual pour, the sort of mature claret worth opening when the meal and the company deserve it.