Château de Tiregand is the Pécharmant served by most restaurants along the Dordogne valley, and it’s an intense, elegant companion to duck confit and garlicky, truffle-scented potatoes so prevalent on the local menus, and to much more besides. Buy the fine 2009 from tanners-wines.co.uk at an ultra-reasonable £13. Also in the UK is Château Champarel 2010 (£10, thewinesociety.com.

There’s broad availability of Plaimont wines, fortunately. Try these highlights: at The Wine Society, serious food-friendly red Château de Bascou 2011, £10, or intriguing, enjoyable long-ignored grapes in Les Vignes Retrouvées white and red, £7.75/£7.50; at M&S, aromatic Saint Mont white, £8; at Tesco, mellow, full Réserve des Tuguets Madiran 2012, £6.

Both corneyandbarrow.com and adnams.co.uk have a broad choice, from simple £6.50 pleasures upwards to such top bottles as Château Arricau Bordes Madiran 2012 (£18.50, C&B) or Le Faite Blanc 2012 (£17, Adnams); christopherpiperwines.co.uk offers the happy evocation of the vignerons’ headgear, Beret Noir Saint Mont red 2012, £7.90.

One final not-to-miss bottle, though from tiny independent producer Château de Cabidos rather than great big Plaimont. Cabidos Petit Manseng Sec 2010 (£11, The Wine Society) is one of my wines of the year, perfectly mature, fascinating, superb adult drinking.

One final not-to-miss bottle, though from tiny independent producer Château de Cabidos rather than great big Plaimont. Cabidos Petit Manseng Sec 2010 (£11, The Wine Society) is one of my wines of the year, perfectly mature, fascinating, superb adult drinking.