Château Grand Corbin

An ancient land inhabited for a very long time, the place known as Corbin lies in the north-west of the Saint-Émilion plateau, on the edge of Pomerol. Over the years and through successions, the former seigneurial estate of Grand Corbin broke up, giving rise to six properties bearing the name Corbin. With the 2012 vintage, châteaux Haut-Corbin and Grand Corbin, belonging to the Mutuelles d’Assurance du Bâtiment et des Travaux Publics (Groupe SMABTP), reconnected with the past, the two properties having indeed merged. A union made possible by the latest classification of Saint-Émilion wines.
The SMABTP group’s vineyards had held château Haut Corbin since 1986; in 2010 they acquired château Grand Corbin. This proved to be a wonderful opportunity because the complementarity of the two growths was obvious and in keeping with history. In September 2011, classification applications were submitted for each of the growths, together with an application for the reunification of the estates in the event of success at the end of the trials.
In September 2012, the Classification Commission gave its verdict. Châteaux Haut Corbin and Grand Corbin were classified and their merger was authorised. The estate in its new configuration takes the name château Grand Corbin, with an unprecedented plot layout…
In total, the area of the vineyard in a single block places château Grand Corbin among the 10 largest areas farmed as Grand Cru Classé in Saint-Émilion. The merger did not upset the grape varieties; it preserves proportions that illustrate the balance sought by the great classified estates.
In the autumn of 2012, the first vintage of the union, the first tastings proved particularly interesting, with a wine that perfectly integrates the oak and allows us to affirm that the marriage of the two properties is fruitful. The soils and grape varieties share a community of interest and sensitivity. The finesse of Grand Corbin tempers the natural ardour of Haut Corbin. The merger has enriched them mutually to offer more complexity, and to give birth to a very Grand Corbin.