Grand Corbin-Despagne St-Emilion 2021

92 points William Kelley (Wine Advocate): "The 2021 Grand Corbin-Despagne opens in the glass with notes of dark berries, cassis and cherries mingled with notions of spices and smoky new oak. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and seamless, it's ample and generous, its sweet core of fruit framed by supple but youthfully structuring tannins. Drink: 2025-2040. (2/8/24)"

92 points Georgina Hindle (Decanter): "A gorgeous nose full of milk chocolate, black cherries, fragrant raspberries, tapenade and cinnamon. Supple and nicely weighted on the palate, tannins are chewy and grippy in the best way and this has a fun, juicy element that nicely counters the structure. Round and more full than some, this still needs a bit of time to settle, but there's lots of life in this with ripe fruit, mouthwatering acidity and lovely salty, minerality on the finish. A lovely wine with plenty of savoury elements on show still in the flint, wet stone, liquorice, toast, tobacco and cocoa powder. Shows great promise. Drinking Window: 2025-2040. (Dec 2023)"

92 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2021 Grand Corbin Despagne turned out beautifully. It offers up inky dark fruit, mocha, licorice, spice and new leather. Dense and creamy, with notable persistence, the 2021 is very nicely done. There's a bit of an oak imprint, but it works well here. Drink: 2026-2036. (Feb 2024)"

92 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (The Wine Independent): "A blend of 72% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 Grand Corbin-Despagne is deep garnet-purple in color. Scents of warm blackberries, black cherries, and redcurrants spill from the glass, leading to touches of charcoal and pencil shavings. The medium-bodied palate is satiny and elegantly styled, with a quiet intensity of fragrant fruit and a perfumed finish. Nicely done! Drink: 2025-2033. (4/23/24)"

92 points James Suckling: "This is showing aromas of walnuts, black berry fruit, chocolate orange and tea leaves. It’s sleek and creamy with fine, polished tannins, a medium body and excellent length. Coming together nicely. From organically grown grapes. Drink after 2024. (7/8/24)"

92 points Jeff Leve (The Wine Cellar Insider): "Fennel, black cherries, espresso and flowers show in the aromatic profile. The palate is medium-bodied, soft fresh and creamy, with a lean to its bright cherry side of the style range. Drink from 2024-2037. (3/9/24)"

91+ points Jeb Dunnuck: "From an estate that readers should have on their radar, the 2021 Château Grand Corbin-Despagne offers a beautiful, medium-bodied, concentrated, elegant style as well as terrific purity in its darker raspberry, spicy oak, and floral aromas and flavors. There's a modern edge here, yet it's going to integrate its oak with 2-3 years in the cellar and evolve for 10-15 years. It's a beautiful wine. Drink: 2026-2042. (4/3/24)"

91 points Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux): "(72% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon). This is an estate that I have great admiration for, and it is delivering a taut finesse in 2021, and although it dips in the mid palate, you'll find attractive brambled fruit and an earthy, authentically felt take on the vintage. 10% amphora for ageing, 19hl/h, organic farming. Thomas Duclos and Stétphane Totoundji consultants to this estate owned by 7th generation winemaker Francois Despagne who is celebrating 210 years in the family with this vintage. (11/17/23)"