In 2019, renowned Paris sommelier Marco Pelletier joined forces with the Gonet family, owners of Champagne Gonet as well as Château Lesparre in Beychac-and-Caillau. From two small Gonet-owned plots Marco crafts a single wine, VDJ, that has developed a devoted following among drinkers tired of Bordeaux’s corporate affectations.

In a riposte to the ‘Vin de Garage’ movement of the 1990s, Marco calls VDJ a ‘garden’ wine. The blend is a mix of both red and white varieties (Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Carmenère, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle), and the vineyards are farmed without chemicals. After being hand harvested at low yields, all the grapes are co-fermented with wild yeasts, before élevage in old oak barrels for 30 months with minimal sulphur additions. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered and then aged for another 12 months before release.