The château's history is intimately linked to the Despagne family, who bought a property called Corbin in the early 19th century not far from Cheval Blanc. In 1852 Jean Despagne acquired 20 hectares of vines and continued the work started by his father, Louis, who had always wanted to create a vineyard. The name Grand-Corbin-Despagne first appeared at the end of the 19th century, and the first medals began to confirm the quality of the wines and their growing reputation. It was Paul Despagne who really established the property, developing the quality and ensuring that it remained consistent over his 40 years at its head. Today his grandchildren carry on his work, including, for the past ten years, François Despagne. He manages a vineyard of slightly more than 26 hectares, consisting of 47 plots; the iron-rich terroir is well-suited to Merlot (Pomerol is not far away!). In order to bring out the best of each plot, François Despagne vinifies meticulously each one separately.

In the 2006 revision of the Saint Emilion classification, the château was raised to the highest rank of Grand Cru Classé (this description was ratified on 12 November 2007 by the State Council). In many respects, Grand Corbin-Despagne constitutes one of Saint Emilion's best value wines, recognized by top wine critics and wine enthusiasts, who are well aware of its potential. Robert Parker even recommended it as a sound investment! It should be said that François Corbin spares no effort and has worked tirelessly to make Grand Corbin-Despagne one of Saint Emilion's finest wines. And so it is that nearly 150 years after its creation, Château Grand Corbin-Despagne has become a flagship wine for the appellation, a rising star, which is still available at very reasonable prices. Composed mainly of Merlot, this wine is round, flamboyant and very smooth. It ages gracefully and develops truffle aromas.