Chateau Grand Corbin Despagne, Saint Emilion 2018

93 points Decanter
"Majoring on black pepper spice, damson and raspberry fruits, this is austere right now, with plenty of tannic heft. A wine that is going to age well but needs another five years in bottle to really open up. But there is juice underneath, with good power, a sense of forward motion and precision. Not the most expressive or voluptuous right now but well-placed and intelligent. A yield of 35hl/ha with biodynamic farming in the vineyard. Ageing in 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040."

93 points Wine Advocate
"Composed of 75% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Grand Corbin-Despagne has a deep garnet-purple color and flamboyant scents of stewed black and red cherries, mulberries and sassafras with an undercurrent of wild blueberries, potpourri and ground cloves, plus a waft of vanilla pod. The full-bodied palate is densely packed with black and blue fruit preserves, supported by firm, ripe, rounded tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and perfumed."

93 points Vinous
"The 2018 Grand Corbin-Despagne is bold and racy right out of the gate. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, new leather, licorice, expresso and menthol flesh out in this decidedly ample, flamboyant wine."

93 points James Suckling
"A dense, layered red with plum, berry, cherry and walnut character. Some bark, too. It’s full and chewy with some earth and currant flavors at the end. The wood shows now, but it will come together nicely. From organically grown grapes. Try after 2024."

Jancis Robinson
"75% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon grown by the well-established Despagne family on the border with Pomerol so there is come iron oxide here. Certified organic and moving towards biodynamic viticulture.
Rich and tense at the same time with some real layers of flavour. There's a deceptive lightness on the palate and some of the raw meat character one encounters on this side of the Gironde. Very well-managed tannins indeed and such inkiness as there is is merely a counterpoint to the fruit. A very juicy, appetising wine that epitomises the move away from pastiche wines in St-Émilion. No hurry to drink this persistent and accomplished, grown-up wine. 17/20 points."