Château de Ferrand sits in one single block at one of St Emilion’s highest points, a clay and limestone plateau in the commune of St Hippolyte. Until recently, the wines were not offered En Primeur; the property is perhaps lesser known than it should be as a result. But that is changing.

The estate belongs to the Bich family, makers of the four-colour Bic pens that every French schoolchild knows all too well. Today, Pauline Bich and her husband Philippe Chandon-Moët (a Champagne native, evidently), run the estate. Under their watch, it became a Grand Cru Classé in 2012. The talented Gonzague de Lambert, formerly of Viña Vik in Chile and whose family own Château de Sales in Pomerol, is the general manager and winemaker. Axel Marchal, one of Bordeaux’s leading young consultants, advises here. There is an ever-greater focus on Cabernet Franc, representing almost 30% of the vineyard today.

The 2022 vintage marks the estate’s second in its three-year conversion to organic certification. This is a smart château with a sophisticated hospitality setup, including qualified sommeliers on staff, an in-house chef and an enviable (pen-themed) art collection. Ferrand might be a relative newcomer to En Primeur, but it is an estate on the rise and worth seeking out.