diff --git a/minimum_versions/policy.py b/minimum_versions/policy.py
index 6dd144a..aa268a2 100644
--- a/minimum_versions/policy.py
+++ b/minimum_versions/policy.py
@@ -58,9 +58,21 @@ def is_suitable_release(release):
     if release.timestamp is None:
         return False
 
-    segments = release.version.extend_to_length(3).segments()
+    segments = release.version.segments()
 
-    return segments[2] == [0]
+    return all(isinstance(part, int) for segment in segments for part in segment)
+
+
+def first_release_of_each_minor(releases):
+    # not every minor version has a x.y.0 release (e.g. netcdf4 1.7 starts at
+    # 1.7.1), so use the first release of each minor version instead
+    first_releases = {}
+    for release in sorted(releases):
+        segments = release.version.extend_to_length(2).segments()
+        minor = tuple(tuple(segment) for segment in segments[:2])
+        first_releases.setdefault(minor, release)
+
+    return sorted(first_releases.values(), key=lambda release: release.timestamp)
 
 
 @dataclass
@@ -80,9 +92,9 @@ def minimum_version(self, today, package_name, releases):
         if (override := self.overrides.get(package_name)) is not None:
             return find_release(releases, version=override)
 
-        suitable_releases = [
+        suitable_releases = first_release_of_each_minor(
             release for release in releases if is_suitable_release(release)
-        ]
+        )
         if not suitable_releases:
             raise ValueError(f"Cannot find valid releases for {package_name}")
 
diff --git a/minimum_versions/tests/test_policy.py b/minimum_versions/tests/test_policy.py
index 1e0decd..76e54e1 100644
--- a/minimum_versions/tests/test_policy.py
+++ b/minimum_versions/tests/test_policy.py
@@ -30,6 +30,20 @@
             dt.date(2024, 9, 5),
             Release(Version("1.1.1"), 0, dt.datetime(2023, 12, 1)),
         ),
+        pytest.param(
+            "netcdf4",
+            Policy({}, 12, {}),
+            dt.date(2025, 9, 1),
+            Release(Version("1.7.1"), 0, dt.datetime(2024, 6, 18)),
+            id="no-x.y.0-release",
+        ),
+        pytest.param(
+            "netcdf4",
+            Policy({}, 12, {}),
+            dt.date(2024, 9, 1),
+            Release(Version("1.6.0"), 0, dt.datetime(2022, 6, 29)),
+            id="no-x.y.0-release-too-recent",
+        ),
     ),
 )
 def test_policy_minimum_version(package_name, policy, today, expected):
@@ -49,6 +63,13 @@ def test_policy_minimum_version(package_name, policy, today, expected):
             Release(Version("1.2.0"), 0, dt.datetime(2024, 1, 3)),
             Release(Version("1.2.1"), 0, dt.datetime(2024, 2, 5)),
         ],
+        "netcdf4": [
+            Release(Version("1.6.0"), 0, dt.datetime(2022, 6, 29)),
+            Release(Version("1.6.5"), 0, dt.datetime(2023, 10, 20)),
+            Release(Version("1.7.0rc1"), 0, dt.datetime(2024, 5, 1)),
+            Release(Version("1.7.1"), 0, dt.datetime(2024, 6, 18)),
+            Release(Version("1.7.2"), 0, dt.datetime(2024, 10, 22)),
+        ],
     }
 
     actual = policy.minimum_version(today, package_name, releases[package_name])