Château Grand Corbin-Despagne Saint-Emilion 2016 - Grand Cru Classé BIO

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Château Grand Corbin-Despagne is undoubtedly the best value for money in Saint-Émilion, with its 29 hectares situated on sandy soil. The owner, François Despagne, has worked tirelessly to achieve this result, with a commitment to organic farming that contributes to the wine’s success. This Saint-Émilion combines vigor, silkiness, aromatic distinction, and superb aging potential. A tasting ranging from 2016 to 1947 allowed us to perfectly capture the style of this wine, which possesses a finesse and harmony superior to many "modern-style" classified growths. As it ages, it can resemble a great Pomerol in several vintages.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

In 2019, this great wine displays vitality and energy, reflecting the clay soils. It has great aging potential. With more focus on structure, texture, a hint of licorice, and peppery tannins, the 2018 vintage isn’t quite fully developed yet but promises a bright future. The 2015, with its deep red hue, develops a richness of bold, powerful tannins with a refined structure.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

This 2016 vintage has a nose dominated by meaty aromas and a palate that is still somewhat reserved but incredibly concentrated. The vintage suits this château well, as it draws on its reserves to give this great age-worthy wine its character.

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

Tasted from the barrel. Powerful tannins and ripe fruit dominate this wine. With a robust and straightforward character, it is generous and opulent. It boasts ample tannins and concentration, giving it great aging potential. - Roger Voss

Le Figaro vins

About the wine:

Fresh red berries, vanilla. Full-bodied and juicy on the palate, with round, elegant tannins, good structure, and a long finish.

About the estate:

The wines offer intense and complex notes of red berries and flowers, gradually evolving into more spicy tones. The palate is characterized by finesse and smoothness. The tannins are velvety.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

A precise, complex bouquet, marked by aromas of black berries followed by chalky notes. The wine is dense, creamy, and lively, perfectly supported by its acidic structure. This structure ensures freshness and tension and promises a bright future for this excellent wine. 2023–2042

Vert de Vin

About the wine:

The nose is elegant, fruity, and refined, offering a lovely delicacy as well as intensity. It features notes of juicy blackberry, crushed dark berries, and hints of juicy blueberry, combined with touches of strawberry and toast, as well as hints of minty licorice, almond, very subtle hints of vanilla, and a subtle hint of sweet blond tobacco. The palate is fruity, delicate, balanced, harmonious, and well-structured, offering good definition, lovely finesse, power, a tangy backbone, and a touch of juiciness. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of fleshy blackberry, crushed blackcurrant, and, more subtly, fleshy strawberry, combined with delicate hints of almond, toast, violet, vanilla, and a subtle hint of chocolate (in the background). The tannins are elegant and delicately firm. Good length.