Tasting Notes:

Eyes: clear, deep ruby
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, developing, darker fruit, peppery, oak, soy
Mouth: dry, med+ body, med+ acidity, med tannin, med+ to long length, med+ alcohol, med+ intensity, lush
All in all: Good to very good quality; drink now, but has potential for ageing.

It’s so tough. A wine like this has all the ingredients for a wine intended for ageing: a good amount of tannin, a good amount of acidity, and the beginnings of some youthful characteristics that can develop. The problem is that this wine, for the time being, is still quite amazingly boring. You can probably find the a similar blend from Southern France with the sacrifice of not having an age-worthy wine.

Much like the wine we compared this to, I mistook it for an Aussie Shiraz (eek…might have been what I’m guessing is an uncalibrated morning palate or the power of suggestion). I can definitely see this evolving in to something more, but at the time being, this is quite boring.

Producer: Chateau Grand Mayne
Designation: N/A
Region: France
Sub-Region: Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé
Variety: Merlot Blend (typically 70%, with the remainder mainly Cab Franc and them some Cab Sauv)
ABV: ?
Vintage: 2008
Tasted: May 26, 2012
Price: $89