Château Franc Mayne 2019

Warm and velvety, with plum sauce and dark cherry purée flavors marked by a subtle graphite edge, ending with licorice and sweet tobacco on the finish. Drink now through 2032. 1,650 cases made, 335 cases imported.

Gorgeously rich, medium to full intensity in colour with plum fruit on the attack. This has an extremely well-judged balance between the exuberant fruit that Franc Mayne has as its signature and a more restrained, supple frame in its tannins and lift. A really enjoyable wine, one of my favourites at this property. Winemaker Sophie Mage joined in 2018 from Frederic Engerer's Rhône estate Fortboneau. Thomas Duclos is also the new consultant since last year. A yield of 43 hl/ha.

A fragrant nose of plums, dark cherries, blackcurrants, violets, bark and spice box. It’s full-bodied with fine tannins. Balanced and velvety with a caressing texture. Plush and layered. 100% merlot. Drink after 2024.

100% Merlot. Very deep purplish crimson. Sappy, vigorous nose. More fruit than obvious tannin; this wine seems just slightly softer than some of its peers. But it's savoury with just a little suggestion of alcohol on the (slightly stringy) finish where one finds some sandpaper tannins. (JR)

The 2019 Franc Mayne has quite a rich nose, but unlike some less successful wines this vintage, it manages to retain sufficient freshness and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, tarry red berry fruit and a finely proportioned, persistent finish. This may improve further in bottle.

Produced from 100% Merlot, the wine opens with floral, cocoa, licorice, smoke and plum aromatics. The medium-bodied wine is elegant, fresh and energetic, with a soft, polished texture that is perfect for all of its layers of sweet, ripe, fresh, red fruits and chocolate on the palate and in the finish. Drink from 2023-2036.

Dark ruby garnet with a solid core, purple reflections and a touch of edge brightening. An attractive Merlot bouquet of fresh cherries and ripe plums, candied orange zest and a hint of herbal savouriness. Juicy, round and elegant on the palate with good freshness and a sweet fruit texture supported by ripe tannins. A chocolaty touch shows on the finish, which is mineral and with length. Already easy to drink.

Dark inky purple colour. Pure and modern nose offering crushed chalk, blackberry, cassis, truffle and a mild oak spiciness. Dense and voluminous palate, still a youthful texture but balanced proportions, good level of acidity giving a lift to the unctuous dark fruit with plenty of power and persistency.

Almost all Merlot, the 2019 Château Franc Mayne is a ripe, beautifully textured 2019 that does incredibly well in the vintage. Giving up lots of ripe black fruits, tobacco leaf, chocolate, and floral notes, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, the vintage’s pure, elegant texture, building tannins, and plenty of classic chalky minerality on the finish. It's beautifully done. This estate has played on a different level starting in 2018, and these wines deserve your attention!

Purple with a violet rim. Intense bouquet of prunes and cherry liqueur, with damsons and blackcurrant drops in the background. Firm on the palate with an elegant texture, a tight-knit body and a taut tannic frame. Encapsulated finish with stewed wild berries and spirituous notes.

Kunz barrel sample 2020: (100% Merlot, 15% abv, production 26,000 bottles) Herbaceous, broad bouquet, blackberry jelly, dark chocolate, tobacco, licorice, graphite. Powerful, dense palate with velvety fruit, plenty of fine tannins, muscular structure, compressed aromatics, bitter finish. Has room to improve.

Silky and expansive, with a soft, fresh core and silky texture, capped by a beautiful burst of energy on the finish. The best Franc Mayne of the early 21st century!

Tasty, digestible Merlot, frank with simple fruit, not very expansive but clearly focused on precise fruit and rigorous oak.

A classic, delicate nose of dark fruits, evoking the delicious scent that rises from flowers at nightfall, with a warm and comforting touch. On the palate, just as classical, with divinely chalky tannins.

Diversity and subtlety go hand in hand in this bouquet. It stands out for its delicate spicy and fruity nuances. Lovely density on the palate, with tannins backing it up with confidence and precision. They are fine and aligned with the freshness of the acidity. A sapid, gourmand, and crunchy wine that manages to combine indulgence with ageing potential. A fine success.

This vintage marks the great comeback of Franc Mayne. Dark, intense red color. Very aromatic nose with ripe fruit. Sleek and suave right from the attack; not very broad, but with a fresh, juicy core and, above all, plenty of flavor. The wine develops with excellent structure toward a long finish, finely supported by the oak. It’s very good. A complete renewal.

(100% Merlot, 15% alc./vol., production of 26,000 bottles) Herbal, broad bouquet, blackberry jelly, dark chocolate, tobacco, licorice, graphite. Powerful, dense palate with velvety fruit, plenty of fine tannins, muscular structure, compressed aromatics, slightly bitter finish. Can improve further. 17/20 2026 - 2042

91–93. Barrel Sample. Made entirely from Merlot, this is rich in vibrant black fruits. Spice and plenty of dark tannins are there to back up what is going to be a full-bodied wine for medium-term aging.