Thursday, June 4, 2009

Chateau Grand Corbin Manuel Saint Emilion, 1982

This has been sitting in the cellar for a long time and has a dirty label and a faded price tag reading $8.89. It's not a big name in Saint Emilion wines, but it's a very big wine in bouquet and flavor. It has 40% Cabernet, so it's a bit unusual for Saint Emilion where Merlot and Cabernet Franc are king.

The color is medium to deep ruby, brilliant, with only minimal browning at the edges--incredible for a 27-year-old wine! The bouquet is beautifully perfumed--cherries, blackcurrants and subtly herbaceous with none of the green pepper element that I find off-putting in many Merlot wines. Elegant and under-stated. In the mouth, it's even classier with a silky texture with a full range of flavors on the mid-palate and a long, ripe finish. There is absolutely nothing old tasting about this wine. I would say it was $8 (and 27 years) well spent.

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