Winemaker Notes
When young, the wines of Grand Corbin-Despagne are a perfect match with red meat and game. As they age, they are marvellous served with white meats and poultry.
Blend: 75% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A linear and fine red with very polished tannins. Medium- to full-bodied, refined and pretty. Long and very polished. Drink in 2020.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Cassis, black cherries, toasty oak and licorice aromas all dominate the bouquet of the 2015 Château Grand Corbin-Despagne, and it's medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and balanced on the palate. With solid mid-palate density, ripe tannin, a charming, opulent style, and plenty of length, give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following decade. This cuvee is 75% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 50% new barrels.
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Decanter
Consistent as usual; lots of energy and character. Bright, lifted aromatics and suave texture and tannins. Length and drive on the finish. Harmonious and beautifully poised. Barrel Sample: 91 Points.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Grand Corbin-Despagne has gorgeous purity of crushed black cherries and blackberries on the nose with hints of fragrant earth, roses and menthol plus a waft of unsmoked cigars. The medium-bodied palate is firm with energetic fruit, a lively backbone and a long, earthy finish.
Rating: 91+ -
Wine Spectator
Lighter-bodied than most of its peers, but fresh and well-focused, with raspberry and currant notes carried by a finish that gains a succulent edge at it opens up. Barrel Sample: 88-90 Points.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.