So, how can you possibly top being fed a Merlot grape from a sweet lady at the sorting table? Well of course it's impossible, but this might come close: How about lunch with the Director and a chance to savor an unforgettable glass of the pinnacle of wines in all of Bordeaux?

Anabelle Cruse-Bardinet served lunch in the dining room of the chateau, which is to say, the dining room of the house. The table was beautifully set, and after such a busy morning, it was a welcome respite. I will say this -- if one tradition will remain beyond all others in French culture, let it be a reasonably long and relaxing lunch! Even in the middle of her incredibly busy day, Anabelle insisted on a quiet moment to relax and refuel. She served -- in the literal sense of the word because, this being her home and a small chateau, she is accustomed to being involved in all aspects -- a starter of chilled beets, followed by a nice savory chicken breast over brown rice, with a green salad. She then asked, "Miguel, which vintage?" Such simple questions you get in France, no? She came back with a 2003 of Chateau Corbin, and it was a delight with lunch. I have a bottle at home, of this and the 2005 vintage. Now I know what to expect. A very nice wine indeed! "Anabelle, in the US, we're often pre-occupied with the origin of bottles... how they were shipped, where they were stored, how long they have been kept by the owner. What a pleasure it is to know that you don't have to give that a moment's thought!" Obviously, her wine is literally of her own making, and is stored 50 feet from where it was produced and bottled. THAT, my friends, is true pleasure!

After two cups of espresso, we returned to the cellar. She showed me the process of pumping-over to aerate and vinify the wines for color and concentration during fermentation. And, we tasted merlot in the tank. "This is some of the young merlot. I am very pleased with the color this year, and the flavor is nicer than 2007". She showed me how to measure density with a floating probe in a flask, and when converted and weighted for temperature, one can predict the alcohol level of the finished wine. This looked to be around 13.5%. Tasting and judging samples from tank or barrel takes some considerable experience before your judgment is worth even discussing. At this stage, the wine is not much more than very jammy grape juice kicked up a couple notches, but the fragrance and textures and colors are all worth noting. "Don't spill it!" Apparently, it is so intensely colored it does not come out easily. And with enough tasting, it even stains your teeth!

I left Anabelle to record the rest of her calculations, said my goodbyes to the staff, and headed back into the house. I gathered my things together and took in the many volumes in the library. Here was an edition of Cocks & Feret, Bordeaux et Ses Vins, from the 1890's. I had bought one the day before, at the St. Michelle flea market, volume 10 from 1929, and thought it to be fairly special! Trumped again. Presently, Anabelle returned, as it was nearly time for her to pick up her children at school. I asked her whether she was a collector of other wines. She said her husband Sebastien was the collector in the family. And also something of a historian for Saint-Emilion. "When you come back with Barbara, we would love to take you on a bike ride into town, and Sebastian can tell you all about the history of the area." Put us down as "committed" to this idea, please!

As we were about to leave, Anabelle mentioned an event held at the chateau the evening before -- a gathering of 10 female winemakers (all from the Right Bank, I believe), and 5 female journalists. Each brought wine from their own chateaux, and I imagine at some point we may read about that evening in another journal. As I looked at the bottles from the event, all corked and still on the mantle, I recognized a few, and others were new to me. My knowledge of the Right Bank is not as extensive as it soon will be. But one bottle in particular caught my eye -- and for me it was a first. A 2003 Chateau Ausone. Now this is a true rarity, even by Bordeaux standards. Whereas Chateau Margaux makes 10-15,000 cases of their Grand Vin, Ausone makes only 1,500. For perspective, the above link, to www.Cellartracker.com, features many reviews for a given wine. For 2003 Ausone there are none, it is that rare. A blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot of such supreme quality and superb terrior, it is simply unavailable even to avid collectors, unless one is willing to part with thousands of dollars, for a single bottle. And there are many who do just that. Robert Parker scored it a perfect 100 points. To even see one on a wine list is quite special (please let me know if you do!). To encounter a bottle quietly resting on the mantle, partially filled and in perfect condition -- well, it just does not happen. And yet here it was!

"Would you like to try the Ausone?" Did I just hear an angel's voice whispering in my ear? Is someone handing me the keys to a Ferrari? Anabelle pulled a clean glass, poured a share, and held it out to me. I was smiling ear to ear, and when I put my nose into the glass and took a sip, it was like driving that Ferrari right into the Botanic Garden Conservatory at the Bellagio. Such an incredible bouquet, still very much alive and in perfect balance. Intense, gorgeous, sexy, completely coating, and a finish that simply would not stop. I savored the sip as long as I could while Anabelle gathered her son and a 2008 bottle sample for the lab, and headed for the car. From a far-off corner of the world I vaguely remember hearing, "let me drop you at the train station after we stop at the lab, OK?" I was in dreamland, "Sure doctor, you need a kidney? I've got two, have one."

I put the glass down, suppressed an urge to calculate the auction value of the angel's share I was just granted, and walked out the door without a backward glance. Thus ended a great day at Chateau Corbin.

Perfection.