Chateau Grand-Mayne
While Saint-Emilion is home to countless famous wineries, Château Grand Mayne is one of the places that often makes headlines more for its land. The vines in this vineyard are located in a single block on the western côte of Saint-Emilion, and the winery refers to this area, which stretches from the hillside to the foothills, as a natural amphitheater. The slopes consist of clay and limestone, while at its foot the soil is pure clay. Merlot forms the core of the blend, with Cabernet Franc also used; while these wines have long been well-known for their aging potential, the winery notes that recent vintages are more accessible even when young. The Nony family has managed this estate for three generations. Surrounding the vineyard is a series of stone structures, including a late 16th-century manor house and 17th-century outbuildings, all enclosed by long rubble stone walls.
History
This wine, known as Mayne until Grand was added, traces its origins back to the Laveau family, who purchased it in 1685. Jean Laveau established its reputation. Around the time Féret, the Bordeaux wine guide, published its 1846 edition, Mayne was listed alongside Figeac and Soutard as one of the most important estates in the Saint-Emilion region, highly regarded for both its reputation and price.
However, since there were no direct heirs, Laveau's estate was divided among relatives. It passed through several owners from the 19th century into the 20th, during which time the property was renamed Grand Mayne.
In 1934, Jean Nony, a wine merchant based in the Chartrons commercial district of Bordeaux, purchased this mansion from Noël Berbudeau. This purchase marks the beginning of the current story. When Jean Nony passed away in 1975, his son Jean-Pierre and his wife, Marie-Françoise, took over management, rebuilding a significant portion of the property and investing in new wine cellar facilities.
Jean-Pierre Nony passed away in 2001. Marie-Françoise continued to run the estate in the traditional manner until her sons took over management. Jean-Antoine has worked alongside her as the estate's manager since 2011, and in 2020, he and his brother, Damien, took over the estate as the third generation of the Nony family.
The buildings themselves also tell part of this story. The outbuildings, constructed in the 17th century, were built with stone quarried from local limestone quarries; the long west wing was designed to ward off both intruders and sea winds, and in the middle is a paved semicircular arch wide enough for a carriage to pass through. Later, a large cellar and additional outbuildings were added.
One block on the western côte
Grand Mayne's vineyard spans 17 hectares, of which 14.5 hectares are under cultivation. This entire area forms a single contiguous block.
The key factor here is location. The vines occupy the western hills of Saint-Emilion and the flat land at their base; this site takes the form of an amphitheater-shaped basin, and the estate believes that this very topography is the secret behind the wine's unique flavor. The average age of the vines is about 35 years.
Neighboring this côte section are other classified Grand Cru vineyards, including Franc-Mayne and Beau-Séjour Bécot. The Château Grand Mayne manor house and wine cellar are located not beside the vineyard but directly above it, and the entire complex appears as a single, integrated unit.
The terroir
At Château Grand Mayne, two soil types coexist in harmony. The upper part of the hill consists of a layer of clay overlying limestone, while the lower part of the slope consists of clay soil. This difference in soil composition is also why the winery describes its wines as representing not the appellation as a whole, but specifically the western hills and lower slopes of Saint-Emilion.
Jean-Antoine and Damien Nony are adamant about this hierarchy. In their words, “There can never be a great wine without a great vineyard,” and they emphasize that the vineyard's location takes precedence over any work done in the winery.
The westerly winds blowing from the Atlantic were a detail that architects of the 16th and 17th centuries clearly considered important. According to the estate, what this vineyard imparts to the wine is not merely power, but fruit with depth, tension, and finesse.
Two grapes
Grand Mayne uses the classic Right Bank blend, and the typical proportions are as follows:
- 80% Merlot: Serves as the foundation of the blend and the source of its flavor.
- 20% Cabernet Franc: Adds tension and aromatic vibrancy.
These proportions are merely guidelines, not strict rules. It varies by vintage.
The winemaking
At Château Grand Mayne, fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled fermentation tanks, some of which are made of wood and others of stainless steel. Because the winery has both types of tanks, it can manage each lot separately rather than processing all the grapes in a single type of container.
The wine is then aged in oak barrels for 18 months, with 70% in new oak and 30% in one-year-old oak. This significant use of new oak aligns well with the characteristics of a wine made with long-term aging in mind.
However, the wine's style has evolved. The winery is candid about this. Recent vintages of Grand Mayne are now more approachable in their youth than in the past, yet they still retain the aging potential for which this winery is well-known.
The wines
The Grand Vin, Château Grand Mayne, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Grand Cru Classé, is produced from a single vineyard located on the western Cote. This wine serves as the benchmark for evaluating the winery's quality and bears the family name.
In addition, the winery also bottles Filia de Grand Mayne, formerly known as Les Plantes du Mayne.
Frequently asked questions
Is Château Grand Mayne a classified estate?
Yes. It is a Grand Cru Classé of Saint-Emilion, and its wines are sold under the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru appellation.
Who runs the property today?
Brothers Jean-Antoine and Damien Nony, the third generation of the family, took over in 2020. Jean-Antoine had already been estate manager since 2011, working with his mother Marie-Françoise.
Where exactly is the vineyard?
On the western side of the Saint-Emilion hill, in one unbroken block that starts on the slope and continues onto the flat land at its foot.
Do the wines need long cellaring?
They have a reputation for ageing well, but the estate says its more recent vintages are more open and accessible in their early years than earlier ones were.
