I just decided that I needed to post a quick comment on what I drank last night.

We were in the middle of cooking when my wife suggested that I open something a bit different, so I struggled into the cupboard and dragged out a bottle from the back. I knew it was from Bordeaux, but I didn't realise that it was so old. What I had pulled out was a bottle of Chateau Haut Corbin AOC St Emilion Grand Cru Classee 1985.

Now I do like the occasional St Emilion, as I like older Merlot based wines, but I did think that this one had the potential to be too old, But we were very plesantly surprised. I was a brick red colour, with an even paler rim, the nose was dominated by leather, and other tertiary aromas like wild mushroom (in a good sense) and hints of spice. The palate was also full of leathe, smoke, and animal flavours, with plenty of roast meat and gravy, but somewhat surprisingly there was also a bit of fruit mainly blackcurrant in character, but also with a bit of raisin. It had a nice balance and the persistence of flavour was exemplary. Overall it was really good old claret, in the Merlot style, and a pleasure to drink as a change from the Languedoc wines we normally consume. Interestingly I have managed to find an old cellar list which tell me that I paid the princely sum of £8.49 for it in 1989!

I must search out what other potential treats I have got lurking at the back of the cupboard!