1952 Château Grand Corbin

Château Grand Corbin has a long and complex history. It was once part of a large estate dating back to at least the 16th century. Over the centuries the great estate was divided, leaving six estates that include the name “Corbin” in their official name. Château Grand Corbin is one of those historic estates, and since 2012 it has been owned by one of France’s largest insurance companies, Société Mutuelle d’Assurance du Bâtiment et des Travaux Publics. The new owner reunited Château Grand Corbin with Château Haut Corbin to create an estate of nearly 75 vineyard acres. The 2012 Grand Corbin is a blend of 80% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Saint-Émilion is on the east side of the Dordogne River. At 13,400 acres it is one of Bordeaux’s largest appellations, and perhaps its most picturesque. It is also home to what has been called “the garagiste” movement of upstart, tradition-defying winemakers who produce artisanal wines in styles that are unconventional for the appellation. The village of Saint-Émilion dates from the middle ages and it sits on low hills, surrounded by ancient walls. Like its neighbor Pomerol, Saint-Émilion was not included in the famous Bordeaux classification system of 1855. But a century later a ranking system was put in place, and unlike the classification system for the Medoc, the Saint-Émilion system is reviewed every ten years, meaning that estates can be upgraded or downgraded. There are three rankings: Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Premier Grand Cru Classé A, with the final ranking being the best. Such legendary Saint-Émilion estates as Châteaux Ausone and Cheval-Blanc are Premier Grand Cru Classé A, along with Châteaux Pavie and Angélus, both added to the classification in 2012. Wines in this appellation are primarily Merlot, mixed with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.