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Chateau Grand Mayne

One of many estates which show that there is life outside of the Premier Grand Cru Classé ranking of St Emilion, Grand Mayne has an enviable history which stretches back for more than five centuries. Originally a grand manor (it is said that this is the origin of grand mayne, which has been the name of the estate since the 19th Century), the buildings date from the latter years of the 15th and 16th Centuries. Some of the earliest recorded proprietors were the Laveau family, who were certainly in residence by the 17th Century, starting with Jacques Laveau, who went by the fond pseudonym of The Elder, in 1685. Under his tenure the estate amounted to 136 hectares of which an impressive 30 hectares were dedicated to vines. Nevertheless it was his son Jean that really made his mark on the estate. In 1811 he purchased the nearby Chateau Soutard from the Combret de Milon family, increasing his dominion to 250 hectares, of which 62 hectares were vines, including some on the desirable terroirs of the plateau and on the slopes. Although some knew Jean by the rather unimaginative surnom of Son of The Elder, others referred to him rather more romantically as the Prince of the Libourne Vines.

With the introduction of Napoleon's inheritance laws, however, it was perhaps inevitable that such a grand domaine was eventually broken up, and the Laveau family soon lost control of their estate. The very heart of the property, amounting to just 21 hectares, was to become what we know today as Grand Mayne. This nubbin of the once grand domaine passed from pillar to post, first through the hands of the Puchaud family, than in 1893 the Massip family, followed by the Termes-Dubroca, Briloin and Chavaroche families, finally ending up in the ownership of Noël Berbudeau in 1922. It was not until 1934 that the current owners arrived on the scene in the shape of Jean Nony. Clearly playing the long game, he acquired the estate at a favourable price, an effect of the global economic depression of the era. He managed the estate single-handed until 1977, when his son Jean-Pierre Nony took the reins. With the death of Jean-Pierre in 2001, his widow Marie-Françoise Nony has been in charge, increasingly assisted by her sons Jean Antoine and Damien. Today, these two brothers are the face of Grand Mayne.

Chateau Grand Mayne lies to the west of St Emilion, at the foot of the plateau, and so the terroir tends to be one of clay and limestone on the southwest facing slopes, with a few vines on more sandy soils at the base. There are 19 hectares of vines altogether, of which 17 hectares are planted in a single block which qualify for the Grand Cru Classé classification. The vines are dominated by Merlot at 76%, with 13% Cabernet Franc and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, planted at a density of 5500 vines/ha and with an average age of 30 years. The vines are interplanted with grass to compete with the vines and to encourage them to search deeper for nutrients and water, and a green harvest in the summer months helps to control yields, which are typically in the order of 35 hl/ha. Once harvested, by hand naturally, the fruit is destemmed at the chai before fermentation in a mix of temperature-controlled steel vats installed in 1973 and wooden vats which have been on site since 2000. The fruit is macerated for up to four weeks, and then transferred into barrels many of which will be new, figures varying between 80% and 100% with the year. The wine completes its malolactic fermentation in the wood, where it rests for up to 24 months. It is then bottled without fining or filtration as two cuvées, the grand vin Chateau Grand Mayne, and a second wine labelled as Les Plantes de Mayne. Much of this is sourced from the 2 hectare plot entitled Les Plantes which lies outside the Grand Cru Classé classification, mixed with deselected vats.

The wines themselves are well worth seeking out, especially when one bears in mind that here we are outside the Premier Grand Cru Classé level. Amongst the chateaux ranked at Grand Cru Classé level, Grand Mayne is without doubt today one of the more notable. The 2003 was impressive when tasted at the UGC tasting in 2005, the 2004 less so the following year, although there is potential for such a wine to come together with time, and it would be gratifying to taste it again. The 2005 has also shown potential on early tasting. (14/11/07)

Contact details:
Address: 1, Le Grand Mayne, 33330 St Emilion
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 57 74 42 50
Fax: +33 (0) 5 57 74 41 89
Internet: www.chateau-grand-mayne.com

Chateau Grand Mayne - Tasting Notes

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2007

Chateau Grand Mayne (St Emilion) 2007: A lovely density of aroma here, a brooding style, with lots of depth. This is true for the palate as well, which shows a lot of substance, although it all remains nicely balanced through the midpalate. It has a firm grip but it is well coated in fruit, and the acidity is a little gentler than some of its peers. This is a real success for this estate, which I hope comes through in the bottled wine. From my 2007 Bordeaux en primeur assessment. 16.5-17.5+/20 (April 2008)

2005

Chateau Grand Mayne (St Emilion) 2005: This has a rather distinct toffee oak and raspberry character on the nose. And on the palate it has a hard style, showing good flavours but a bony structure. In terms of its composition it is rather challenging, and it has a huge, bitter, spicy finish. Lots of tannins swimming about, dominating the picture. Doesn't seem to have achieved a totally desirable balance to me, but there are some good elements, and this may become more harmonious with time. From my tasting of 2005 Bordeaux at two years of age. 16.5+/20 (October 2007)

2004

Chateau Grand Mayne (St Emilion) 2004: A very sweet, buttery, blackberry and oak nose. It borders on confected. Full, creamy on entry, but with a hollowness, a lack of presence, that persists. Lots of flavour though, black fruits and fruitcake, with good length. But lacks harmony of structure and texture. From my Bordeaux 2004 assessment. 14.5/20 (October 2006)

2003

Chateau Grand Mayne (St Emilion) 2003: Good, stylish plummy varietally correct nose here. Fine, slightly creamy, balanced, with a lovely presence and texture on the palate. Ripe, grippy tannins seem a little svelte, and although rather prominent there is a good texture and an elegant presence of fruit. Overall a very good package with potential. From my Bordeaux 2003 assessment. 16.5+/20 (October 2005)

1998

Chateau Grand Mayne (St Emilion) 1998: This has a beautiful hue, deeply coloured but with a mahogany maturity. After less than an hour in the decanter it is open and ready for business, and it gives a fine aroma of bloody meat, iron, perfumed violets, black olives, dry charcoal and more. It is certainly enticing, and the palate doesn't disappoint, with a medium-bodied and refined entry, plenty of acidic freshness backed up by a core of ripe tannins through the midpalate, rounding very nicely at the finish. The structure, which holds the wine well in the mouth and suggests this will do well in the cellar for some time yet, carries an array of meaty olive flavours. The end is clean and it leads to a slowly fading finish. This is excellent, and has plenty of potential for the future, yet it is still an absolute delight to drink now. From a tasting of 1998 Bordeaux, and this also featured as my wine of the week. 18+/20 (August 2008)