Château Franc Mayne

The estate

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

Ground

5 soils of limestone, clay, sand and marl

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: Château Franc Mayne, a new chapter · Château Franc Mayne, a property with character · Château Franc Mayne, a wine, a signature · Association des Grands Crus Classés de Saint-Émilion, Château Franc Mayne · Decanter, Château Franc Mayne sold