Château Corbin 2020

Dating back to the 15th century, Château Corbin has been owned by the Cruse family since 1924. Fourth-generation Anabelle Cruse-Bardinet runs the estate with her husband Sébastien, living on the property with their children. The vineyard features clay and clay-sand soils over an iron-rich clay subsoil – more akin to neighbouring Pomerol than classic St-Emilion limestone. Extensive replanting and a new cellar built for the 2016 vintage, equipped with concrete tanks, have brought greater precision. Wines increasingly show lovely polish thanks to heavy investment in recent years. Georgie Hindle: Cola, liquorice and blackcurrant. This has a cooling freshness, tannins adding a touch of muscle, with a long, cool, mint, wet stone and liquorice finish. Juicy and alive. Arthur Coggill: Lovely fruit purity, cranberry and loganberry mingling with cumin spice and cedar. Gentle, fresh and fruit-driven, this is all primary wild berry fruit that goes on and on. Tom King: Juicy fruit, a hint of capsicum and attractive leafiness. Black cherry cheesecake palate and a rich, creamy texture. Persistent fresh fruit takes centre stage.

Blueberries and blackberries with smoke and tar undertones. Mushrooms. Full-bodied with layers of ripe tannins and a juicy, fruity finish. Plenty going on with real St.-Emilion character. Drink after 2026.

Elegant, fresh and refined, the wine is medium-bodied and focuses on the purity in all of its sweet, ripe red fruits. On the nose, you find a strong, attention-seeking floral note, finishing with silky red fruits, earth, spice, herbs and crushed rocks. The wine blends 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Chateau Corbin continues its run of superb vintages. 92-94 Pts

Dark core and a ruby rim. Pure with modern fruit, just a hint of oak and butterscotch, dark berries and plum with bay leaf and sage notes. Dense palate paired with a fine level of freshness, generous young fruit and a dense finish.

The 2020 Corbin is composed of 75% Merlot, 10% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, it skips out with breezy notions of Morello cherries, black raspberries, and fresh blueberries, with an undercurrent of mossy tree bark and crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock full of exuberant black fruits, supported by plush tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and earthy.

93-94

The Grand Cru Classé has truly gained in finesse and tact; this is a Saint-Émilion of great refinement, with substance and a silky, very elegant length. The finest wine tasted from recent vintages.

Refined and precise, Corbin’s bouquet heralds a harmonious wine, confirmed on the palate from the very first attack. The tannins are perfectly integrated, delivering power while being ideally supported by the lively acidity that brings drive and freshness. Château Corbin confirms the trend shown during the en primeur tastings. A fine success.

Intense, deep purple-red color. An intense, fine, fruity and pure nose. Nuances of ripe raspberry, cedar and sandalwood. Meticulous on the attack, highly perfumed, with the smoothness of Saint-Emilion, flavorful, the wine caresses the palate. Subtle, it expands on the finish as it releases its perfume. Good length with no hard edges. This is a revolution in expression, with reduced massiveness but undiminished density. A new approach that questions what we think we know about Saint-Emilion. Blend: 95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Yield: 44 hl/ha.

One of the vintage’s real surprises! Anabelle Cruse has set Château Corbin on a radically new course, both in vineyard management and in vinification and ageing, and this 2020 is a wonderful illustration of it. This tender, bright wine brims with vitality, energy, deliciousness and freshness. Elegance and pure pleasure.