Château
Château Franc Mayne
How to read this
Capitals mark the stressed syllable. “ahn” is a nasal vowel: say it through the nose, with no n. The French r comes from the back of the throat. The recording is the reference.
A small Grand Cru Classé on the old pilgrim road northwest of
- Appellation
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru - On Instagram
- @chateaufrancmayne
- Châteaux
- See it among the 629
The château
The house began as a coaching inn of the 16th century on the road to Santiago de Compostela, 1 kilometer northwest of the town. Griet Van Malderen and Hervé Laviale owned the estate from 2005, and in 2018 they sold it to the Savare family; Jean-Pierre Savare, of Oberthur Finance, was already a minority shareholder. Thomas Savare represents the family, Pierre Arnald directs the estate, Sophie Mage is technical director and Thomas Duclos consults. Franc Mayne is a Grand Cru Classé in the list of September 2022.
There are 7 hectares, 5.68 of them in production, on 3 levels: the limestone plateau, the slope and its foot, with 5 soils in all mixing limestone, clay, sand and marl, facing northwest. The vines are 20 years old on average. Under them run about 2 hectares of quarries, dug over the centuries as stone was cut to build the town, and they are put to work: the wine spends its first year in the chai above and its second down in the rock.
Conversion to organic farming began in 2019 and the estate was certified with the 2022 vintage. The first wine of 2022 and of 2024 was made entirely from Merlot, and the planting of Cabernet Franc is being doubled. Fermentation is in 10 small temperature-controlled vats of oak and stainless steel, and the wine is raised 50% in new barrels, 45% in large casks and 5% in amphorae. Ilex de Franc Mayne has been the second wine since the 2018 vintage, replacing Les Cèdres de Franc Mayne. The label is engraved in intaglio by the family’s own security printing house, and 5 bedrooms in the building of the 18th century are let as Le Relais Franc Mayne, renovated in 2019.
At a glance
- Appellation
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru - Commune
Saint-Émilion , 1 kilometer northwest of the town- Classification
- Grand Cru Classé in 2022
- Owners
- The Savare family, since 2018
- Direction
- Pierre Arnald; Sophie Mage, technical director
- Consultant
- Thomas Duclos
- Vineyard
- 7 hectares, 5.68 in production, on plateau, slope and foot; facing northwest; vines 20 years old on average
- Soil
- 5 soils of limestone, clay, sand and marl Terroir of
Saint-Émilion → - Farming
- Organic, certified with the 2022 vintage
- Cellar
- 10 small vats of oak and steel; 50% new barrels, 45% large casks, 5% amphorae; second year in the quarries
- Wines
Château Franc Mayne ; Ilex de Franc Mayne, since 2018- Under the vines
- About 2 hectares of quarries
Sources
- Institutions
- Association des Grands Crus Classés de
Saint-Émilion ,Château Franc Mayne - Press
- Decanter,
Château Franc Mayne sold - Its own publications
Château Franc Mayne : a new chapter, a property with character, a wine, a signature
Revised September 23, 2026. How I choose sources
The record
Source: INAO,
Private
By invitation only.
In the news
1
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Empson USA Expands Its Fine Wine Portfolio with Prestigious Family-Owned Estates from France
Empson USA announced on July 16, 2026, that it was expanding its fine-wine portfolio with family-owned French estates including
Château Kirwan ,Château Malescasse ,Château Franc Mayne , Maison de la Chapelle and Champagne Gérin & Fils.
In the old books
“The vineyard comprises 14 hectares planted with the best grape varieties (notably bouchet)”
Le vignoble comprend 14 hectares complantés des meilleurs cépages ( notamment du Bouchet )
On from here
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