2018 Château Grand Corbin

Tasted blind. Quite evolved at the rim. Very evolved – in a cocoa sort of way – on the nose. Sweet and with a little charry note. Fruit dominates tannin in this wine. (JR)

Displaying a deep garnet-purple color, the 2018 Grand Corbin delivers notes of baked black plums, Morello cherries and boysenberries with wafts of wild mushrooms, underbrush and Sichuan pepper. The medium to full-bodied palate offers a good concentration of straightforward black fruits with a pleasantly chewy texture and just enough freshness, finishing savory.

The 2018 Grand Corbin has a lush, candied bouquet of black cherries and crème de cassis, all very seductive, but the vanilla-y oak seems nicely enmeshed. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins that lend a little more structure than I expected when I tasted from barrel. Salted licorice mingles with truffle toward the finish, which feels reassuringly long. Enjoy this over the next 12–15 years.