Château Grand Corbin-Despagne 2023

The nose is again this year expressive and complex, a tapestry of aromas, fruit, spice, floral notes, and mineral undertones; lively on the palate, showing drive and elegance, powerful yet fresh, with fine-grained tannins silkily interwoven with the fruit, and an impressive length. As always, highly recommended!

Brilliant violet colour, the wine comes from an excellent terroir of siliceous-clay over iron deposits and ancient sands over blue clay. Ageing in 40% new oak, with a pH of 3.68, a balanced wine whose brisk nature is reflected in somewhat high-toned tannins common to the 2023 vintage. I like the palate depth and juiciness. Ends with a medium finish marked by cool blue and blackberry fruit with lift. Cropped at 45hl/ha.

The 2023 Grand Corbin Despagne is classy, elegant and polished, just as it was en primeur. Crème de cassis, lavender, mint, espresso and a kiss of French oak build effortlessly in the glass. This mid-weight Saint-Émilion is a total delight. It opens beautifully with air, revealing gorgeous nuance and textural dimension. Tasted two times.

Deep ruby colour, opaque core, purple reflections, brightening at the rim. Floral touch, a hint of mandarin zest, red cherries, inviting bouquet. Juicy, medium complexity, red berries, appears light-footed despite the ripe tannins, a mineral finish, good wine for the table.

Dark plum colour, raspberry leaf, tomato leaf, fragrant and intense, dark berry fruits, full of charm and texture, with pumice stone and a sense of light and shade. Packs a lot of flavour in, great stuff. 40% new oak for ageing, Despagne family estate, biodynamic farming.

Score: 92-94. Delicacy and refinement with a nose of purity, freshness and elegance, offering scents of antique rose, blooming peony and red fruits. These same aromas carry through into a harmonious, generous palate. The silky, lively texture delivers a wine with lovely drinkability, very easy to enjoy.

From the get-go, the perfume offers its aromatic profile featuring its showy display of Allspice, flowers, licorice, and black raspberries with little effort. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, soft, elegant, and fruity, leaving you with sweet, ripe, refined black raspberries, cherries, and plums that carry all the way through to its creamy, supple-textured finish. The wine is produced from blending 75% Merlot, with 25% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2027-2048.

The subtlety already present is a clear sign of the style to come. The many details create a compelling whole, designed to elevate the ensemble through relevant elements while also leaving enough room for delicate nuances. Refined, precise, and slightly creamy on the attack, the wine follows a linear, powerful profile, aiming to deliver a fully realised symbiosis. The compact tannins provide support and pair with a structuring tension that bodes well for the future. An elegant, persistent, and complete wine. For me, it ranks among François Despagne’s greatest successes!

Logo on the cork: an inverted T (Trescases) Dark, intense, beautiful color. Very aromatic nose with ripe fruit, developing into a rich bouquet in the glass. Hints of citrus. Precise on the attack, very aromatic on the mid-palate, the wine caresses the palate. It builds progressively towards a long, savory, sappy finish that is not marked by tannin.

As is so often the case at this address, François Despagne has exercised a restrained hand with oak, and the 2023 Grand Corbin-Despagne is no exception. It reveals aromas of lead pencil, dark berries, spices and fresh licorice. Medium- to full-bodied, sapid and supple, it is built around a fleshy core of fruit with good depth, framed by velvety, powdery tannins and concluding with a long, saline and elegant finish. The blend—40% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot—represents a strong effort in this vintage.

Smoothly textured with blackberry fruits mingling with some firm tannins, this is a finely wine. Its fruits and black pepper aroma are part of a ripe, balanced wine. Drink from 2030. Organic.