Château Franc Mayne 2023

Expressive, stony and cool, with cherry and raspberry notes, playful; a taut opening, straight and focused, medium-bodied, with powdery tannins and a slightly bitter finish; ends on blood orange, showing real character.

With appealing aromas of ripe dark fruit, raspberry jam, orange rind and coffee bean, this wine – 100% Merlot ageing 16 months in 50% new oak barrels – offers fine texture, albeit somewhat larger grained tannins than the top St-Emilion Grand Cru Classé wines. There is a bit of a mouth puckering aspect to the finish, but the savoury mid palate and juiciness bode well for the barrel ageing to arrange matters.

The 2023 Franc Mayne has a fresh, marine-influenced bouquet with blackberry, bilberry and touches of seaweed in the background. Classical in style. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, lighter than some of its peers, open-knit, with a smooth finish that just needs a bit more grip. Drink over the next decade.

Chocolate, smoke, licorice, flowers, black cherries, and spice blend together perfectly in the nose. On the palate, the wine is soft, round, and plush, with some oak that needs to better integrate before you can find, and enjoy all of the ripe, sweet, polished, juicy fruits. The wine was made from 100% Merlot. Drink from 2027-2042.

Dark ruby, deep core, purple reflections. Delicate aromas of ripe cherries and plums, a hint of nougat and vanilla. Medium body, red berries, a hint of currant, subtle tannins, mineral, salty, touch of chocolate in the finish.

Ripe black fruits, orange peel, liquorice, cocoa bean, careful construction, attractively measured grilled oak; not the concentration of the 2022 at this property, but it has a more supple appeal, and it’s great to see the consistency across differently styled vintages. Second year in organic certification. Thomas Duclos consultant since 2018. 50% new oak barrels and 50% wooden casks and amphoras.

Logo on the cork: AL A lovely deep red. An intense nose with ripe, subtle fruit. Truffly undertones. Delicate on the attack, aromatic through the mid-palate and full of flavour, the wine caresses the palate through to the finish. Long and very good.