A living estate,
open to hospitality and sharing
Today, Château Grand Corbin is a single, uninterrupted vineyard estate covering 37 hectares (90 acres), of which 28.5 hectares (70 acres) are classified as Grand Cru Classé. This geographical and geological consistency provides the ideal foundation for fully expressing the potential of the terroir, predominantly planted with Merlot on soils combining wind-blown sands and deep blue clay subsoils.
After several years dedicated to strengthening the vineyard structure and modernising the estate's facilities, the château is now embracing a new dynamic centred on openness, hospitality, and sharing — remaining true to the spirit of the great Saint-Émilion properties.
A Committed and Experienced Leadership.
Since 2021, the estate has been led by Laure Canu, General Manager of the group's wine estates. Originally trained as a lawyer and attorney before pursuing a career within renowned wine estates, she oversees Château Grand Corbin with a long-term vision, combining exacting quality standards, deep respect for the terroir, and strategic consistency. Her role is central to shaping the identity of the wines and ensuring the estate's sustainable positioning for the future.
Renowned researcher and professor specialising in Bordeaux terroirs, Axel Marchal has been advising the estate since the 2022 vintage. His approach is rooted in a precise understanding of soils, careful monitoring of ripeness, and deep respect for the identity of the place. By focusing on balance, freshness, and purity of fruit, his work seeks to reveal the singular character of each parcel. This collaboration fully reflects the vision embraced by the château: to refine and evolve the style of the wines without ever altering their essence, placing technical expertise at the service of the terroir — never the other way around.
In 2022, the estate entered a new phase with the arrival of Marion Millaire-Ducourtieux, Hospitality Director, with the mission to open Château Grand Corbin to visitors and to develop an oenotourism offering worthy of the estate. Visits, events, and overnight stays are designed as personalised and welcoming experiences, where wine is discovered through conversation, authenticity, and shared moments.
On a day-to-day basis, the estate is managed on the ground by Marie Flandrin, Estate Manager since 2025, working alongside Grégory Thibault, Technical Director of Château Cantemerle. Her role is essential in ensuring the continuity, precision, and rigour of the work carried out both in the vineyard and in the cellar. Marie Flandrin oversees a team of eight people, all trained across the many disciplines of vineyard work — from pruning to tractor operations — forming a truly versatile and skilled team.
A family of passionate people.
Château Grand Corbin is not simply a place to be told about — it is a place to be experienced, brought to life by committed men and women dedicated to the wine, the terroir, and all those who come to discover it.
Technical details
Vineyard Surface Area
Château Grand Corbin extends across 37 hectares (90 acres) in one single block, including 28.5 hectares (70 acres) classified as Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé, dedicated to the production of the first label Château Grand Corbin, and 8.5 hectares (20 acres) as Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation, dedicated to the production of the second label called Les Charmes de Grand Corbin.
Grape Varieties:
80% Merlot
16% Cabernet Franc
4% Cabernet Sauvignon
Terroir:
The vineyard is planted on siliceous sandy soils resting upon deep layers of blue clay, bringing freshness, depth, and balance to the wines — particularly well suited to the expression of Merlot.
The Corbin Sector: A Privileged Location
Château Grand Corbin is located in the north-western part of Saint-Émilion, very close to Pomerol. Situated at the crossroads of several renowned terroirs, the estate benefits from a distinctive identity shaped by this exceptional setting. Why is this location so well-suited to wine?
A naturally cooler climate. This area of Saint-Émilion benefits from slightly greater airflow and somewhat cooler summer conditions. As a result, the grapes ripen more slowly and evenly, without excess. In the glass, this translates into wines that are more balanced, fresher, and more elegant.
Clay Soils That Protect the Vine
Clay acts as a natural water reserve. During dry periods, it gradually releases moisture to the vines, preventing excessive water stress. The result is steady and even ripening, bringing finesse and harmony to the wines.
Annual Production:
Approximately 200,000 bottles are produced each year across the estate's different wines: Château Grand Corbin, Les Charmes de Grand Corbin, Nuances de Grand Corbin Rosé, Nuances de Grand Corbin Blanc.
Vineyard Management:
The vineyard is managed with particular attention paid to soil preservation, vine balance, and the faithful expression of the terroir. Every intervention is carefully considered and adapted to each parcel and each vintage.
Harvest:
Harvest dates are determined parcel by parcel according to the optimal ripeness of the grapes, in order to preserve freshness, balance, and aromatic precision. The harvest for the classified plots is carried out entirely by hand and requires around forty people over the course of the two to three weeks of picking.
Winemaking:
Vinifications are carried out on a parcel-by-parcel basis, favouring gentle extraction and respect for the fruit in order to reveal the identity of each terroir. The recently renovated gravity-fed cellar houses 20 raw concrete tanks.
Ageing:
The ageing process is designed to accompany the wine without overpowering it, through a carefully selected range of vessels chosen in pursuit of balance, finesse, and length. Only French oak barrels are used, sourced from six different coopers.
Sustainable Commitment
In 2023, Château Grand Corbin earned the “Cultivons Demain” CSR certification from the CIVB (Bordeaux Wine Council). This distinction reflects a comprehensive vision integrating environmental responsibility, social commitment and strong regional roots. This approach is expressed through:
– For our employees: fulfilling working conditions and support for professional development
– For our region: strong ties with local stakeholders and the promotion of cultural heritage
– For our partners: relationships built on trust, transparency and long-term balance
– For the environment: preservation of soils, biodiversity and natural resources
Château Grand Corbin's ambition is clear: combine excellence, responsibility and knowledge transmission in order to build a sustainable estate that future generations will continue to nurture.
Château Cantemerle
& Château Grand Corbin: A shared heritage philosophy
In December 1980, the SMABTP Group acquired Château Cantemerle, a Grand Cru Classé estate of the 1855 Classification in the Haut-Médoc. Today, Château Grand Corbin and Château Cantemerle remain two distinct estates, united by a shared heritage philosophy founded upon strong and enduring values: loyalty, fidelity, and long-term commitment.
The guiding principle is the same for both properties: to bring each terroir to its highest level of expression. Here, long-term vision takes precedence. Reflection, carefully measured experimentation, and collaboration with leading experts are favoured in order to reveal the true identity of each vineyard — without haste and without compromise.
This philosophy is illustrated in a particularly tangible way at Château Cantemerle, which welcomed its first harvest in 2025 within an entirely new winery facility, following three years of construction. Designed by architect Arnaud Boulin, this new technical complex incorporates a state-of-the-art gravity-flow cellar and forms part of a strong environmental approach, conceived to combine performance, respect for the terroir, and responsible resource management.
