Yvon Mau

The house

Aristide Mau founded the house in 1897, and his son Yvon gave it the name it still carries. It works from Gironde-sur-Dropt, in the Entre-deux-Mers, and stayed a family house through the 20th century: Michel Mau ran it, and Jean-François Mau after him. In 1989 the French research ministry funded a program of the house, led by J. C. Milhe, to bring out the aroma and taste of dry white wines and to keep sweet whites with the help of fatty acids. The house traded on La Place, and in 2007 Jean-François Mau described its négociants (merchants who buy from the châteaux and sell on) as individually weak but collectively strong.

Its strength was the Bordeaux brand. The house filed its own name as a mark in September 1980 and Yvecourt in April 1982, protecting Yvecourt abroad that May; Premius followed in July 1998. In 2010 Premius was among the main brands of the Bordeaux appellation by volume, and in 2011 Cellier Yvecourt and Premius Exigence were among the 10 best-selling Bordeaux brands.

Freixenet, the Spanish sparkling wine group, took Yvon Mau over in 2001, and when Henkell took control of Freixenet in 2018 the house became part of Henkell Freixenet. Katy Murarotto has been managing director since September 22, 2024, and Eberhard Benz president since November 17, 2024. The house at Gironde-sur-Dropt is the group’s center for the still wines of France.

At a glance

Kind

Négociant

Based in

Gironde-sur-Dropt

Founded

1897, by Aristide Mau

Owner

Henkell Freixenet, since 2018; Freixenet from 2001

Direction

Eberhard Benz, president; Katy Murarotto, managing director

Brands

Premius; Yvecourt; Sélection Châteaux