[6] After the Second World War, Zino Davidoff decided to acquire a licence to produce his own series of cigars.

[5] As he had discerning international customers, he named the various formats of this "Château" cigar series after famous Bordeaux vineyard estates.

[8] Public health researchers have suggested that this was in order to engage in trademark diversification (also known as "brand stretching") to promote the tobacco products, because it allows for advertising the brand in the face of restrictions on the direct promotion of tobacco products.

[9][10] After numerous disputes over quality and ownership rights, Zino Davidoff and Cubatabaco decided to end their relationship.

Leading up to this, in August 1989, Zino had publicly burned over one hundred thousand cigars that he had deemed of low quality and unfit to sell.

After numerous test runs, Zino Davidoff found a partner in the local producer “Tabadom”, owned by Hendrik Kelner.

With the move to the Dominican Republic, the Château series was renamed "Grand Cru", and the individual formats were numbered instead of carrying the names of vineyard estates.