"91/93 Points Neal Martin, RobertParker.com
This has a well defined, lifted nose that is showing less of over-ripeness than other Saint Emilions. Raspberry, strawberry and a touch of tobacco, coalescing in the glass. The palate is very well balanced, good acidity, filigree tannins and great harmony towards the pure black cherry and plum finish. Good length. Very feminine. This is a superb effort. Bravo. 75% merlot, 25% cabernet franc. Tasted March 2010."
In 2012, the Despagne family celebrated 200 years on the Grand Corbin terroir. Louis Despagne, was a sharecropper at Cheval Blanc, who acquired the first family plots in 1812, a few hundred meters from this prestigious estate, at the place called Grand Corbin. His son expanded the cru from a few hectares to around twenty, a land area almost identical to that of today. Towards the end of the 19th century, the name became Château Grand Corbin-Despagne. Francois was entrusted with the property in 1996, and today is the seventh generation of the family at Grand Corbin.
The 28 ha vineyard is located at the northern limits of the Saint-Emilion appellation, bordering Pomerol. There are two main types of soil: clayey-sandy-siliceous with iron dross and ancient superficial sands on compact blue clays, planted with 75% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, farmed sustainably since 2005, and organically since 2010 achieving certification in 2013.
