La Couspaude is planted with the same grape varieties as the other great wines of Saint-Emilion, and in similar proportions: a large majority of Merlot (75%), as well as Cabernet Franc (15%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%).
It is this predominance of Merlot, much more hardy than Cabernet, which accounts for the large number of old vines and the impressive average age (40 years).
This situation is perpetuated by complantation (the replacing of individual vines rather than entire vineyard plots).
| Producer |
n 1908 Jean-Prosper Robin, a cooper who already owned Chateau Sansonnet in Saint-Emilion, bought the neighbouring estate of La Couspaude, which he left to his son André-Marcel.
The following decades brought a series of upheavals, wars and economic crises, preventing the chateau from reaching its full potential. The estate reached a stage where it needed major investments.
Most of the family’s efforts went into Chateau Sansonnet, whose productivity and reputation enabled it to rise above the difficulties of this troubled period.
It was not until 1963 that a new era dawned at La Couspaude, when Edith Robin, André-Marcel’s daughter, inherited the estate. Her husband, Etienne Aubert, was also from an unbroken line of winegrowers going back more than two and a half centuries.
In subsequent years, Etienne and Edith, with the help of their three sons Alain, Daniel and Jean-Claude, put La Couspaude to rights. They succeeded so well that the estate was promoted to Grand Cru Classé status in 1996 during the new classification of Saint-Emilion wines. |
