Biography

Château Corbin has been in the hands of the same family since 1924. Today the property is owned by Anabelle Cruse-Bardinet (the fourth generation) and her husband Sébastien. To the present day, she has been able to give Corbin its soul, strength and identity, whilst enhancing the prestige of its terroir.

 

Q&A

Describe yourself in 3 words…

Down to earth, determined, meticulous.

 

How did you get started in the wine trade?

I studied oenology at university, but more importantly I was born into a family of winegrowers; my father from the Médoc, my mother from Saint-Émilion. I started my career at Château Branaire Ducru in Saint-Julien!

 

Please describe Château Corbin and its vineyards…

Corbin is steeped in history as it is a 15th century Lordship, with 13 hectares of vineyards in the historic heart of the Domaine. My family acquired it in 1924, and ownership has been passed down the female line for four generations. The vineyard is located in the commune of Saint-Émilion on the border with Pomerol. The plots are planted with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, spread over a soil of clay and sandy gravel on a clay subsoil. The 75,958 vines are treated with the greatest care and attention to detail in a quest for balance and respect for their ecosystem.

 

Who (or what) has influenced your wine making style the most?

My teachers, my family, my tastes… a search for purity.

 

What is the best wine you have made at the Château?

The next vintage! I love them all due to the individual character of each one. The distinctiveness of Corbin can be found in the wines aromatic appeal, where it combines purity, radiance, a velvety texture, great length as well as emotion all in complete harmony with the vintage.

 

If you had to recommend one of your wines, which would it be? And why?

To drink today? That’s a difficult one, however, if I had to, I would choose 2012 as it now has 10 years bottle age and a beautiful delicateness, then 2015 for its expressive red fruit, 2018 for its silkiness and velvety richness, and 2019 for its vibrancy.

 

Do you have any winemaking goals you are still working to achieve?

Our objective is the obtain balance in every vintage and the search for excellent aromatic purity. For this, a lot of precision is needed at each stage of the process such as the date of picking, densimetric sorting, gentle extraction…

 

What does the future hold for Château Corbin?

My objectives are the transmission of our know-how, the respect of our terroir and its ecosystem, as well as a continued search for purity.

 

If you could make wine anywhere else in the world, where would it be?

In Pomerol!

 

What is your favourite wine bar or restaurant?

My husband’s wine cellar!