Manage to recruit Medoc's chief wine expert (9)
I believe the answer is:
competent
'manage to recruit medoc's chief wine expert' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this definition defines the answer.
'manage to recruit medoc's chief wine expert' is the wordplay.
'manage' becomes 'cope' ('cope' can be a synonym of 'manage').
'to recruit' indicates putting letters inside (in the sense of bringing in).
'chief' suggests taking the first letters.
'wine expert' becomes 'tent' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
The initial letter of 'medoc' is 'm'.
'cope' enclosing 'm' is 'compe'.
'compe'+'tent'='COMPETENT'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for competent that I've seen before include "Qualified" , "Efficient, capable" , ""not bad"" , "Able (to do something)" , "Teen drink" .)