Château Franc Mayne

Château Franc Mayne occupies 7 hectares on the limestone plateau and slopes of Saint-Émilion, peaking at 75 meters elevation. This elevated position offers natural protection from frost, a meaningful advantage in a region that can experience damaging spring cold events. Soils across the estate vary in composition, combining clay, limestone, sand, and marl in different proportions across the parcels. The limestone subsoil is not merely geological backdrop: the estate sits above 2 hectares of underground quarries historically used for limestone extraction, the same quarried stone that built much of the medieval town of Saint-Émilion nearby. This porous, well-draining bedrock encourages deep root development and contributes the mineral tension characteristic of the estate's wines.

• Limestone plateau and slope aspect at 75 meters peak elevation
• Soils of clay, limestone, sand, and marl in varying proportions
• 2 hectares of underground limestone quarries beneath the estate
• Elevated position provides natural frost protection in a maritime temperate climate

The vineyard is planted with Merlot dominating at 80 to 90 percent of the blend, with Cabernet Franc completing the remainder at 10 to 20 percent. This composition is typical of the Saint-Émilion plateau, where limestone soils favor Merlot's ability to develop ripe, structured fruit without excessive weight. Cabernet Franc adds aromatic lift, herbal complexity, and structural backbone. The estate produces a grand vin alongside a second wine, now labeled Ilex de Franc Mayne following a renaming from Les Cèdres de Franc Mayne. Modern winemaking renovations completed under the Laviale family ownership from 2005 to 2018 brought updated cellar infrastructure to the property.

• Merlot 80-90% with Cabernet Franc 10-20%
• Second wine: Ilex de Franc Mayne (formerly Les Cèdres de Franc Mayne)
• Cellar renovations completed under Laviale ownership (2005-2018)
• Limestone terroir supports structured, mineral-driven Merlot expression

The land at Franc Mayne carries history stretching back to Roman times, with ruins on the property confirming ancient occupation. Documented estate history begins more fully in the 1700s, and the property earned Grand Cru Classé status at the inaugural 1955 Saint-Émilion classification. In the modern era, AXA-Millésimes, the insurance group's wine division that also owns Pichon Baron and Quinta do Crasto among others, held the estate from 1984 to 1996. Belgian entrepreneur Georgy Fourcroy purchased it in 1996 and sold to the Laviale family in 2005. The Laviale period saw significant investment in renovation before the Savare family, led by Jean-Pierre Savare, acquired the estate in 2018 and continues as current owner.

• Roman ruins on the property indicate ancient viticultural history
• Classified Grand Cru Classé in the founding 1955 Saint-Émilion classification
• AXA-Millésimes owned the estate from 1984 to 1996
• Jean-Pierre Savare family has owned the estate since 2018

Château Franc Mayne holds Grand Cru Classé status within the Saint-Émilion appellation, a classification that has existed since 1955 and is subject to periodic revision. The estate sits within the broader Saint-Émilion commune and produces wines under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation. At 7 hectares, it is a compact property by Bordeaux standards, consistent with the many small family-scale estates that populate the right bank. Its plateau and slope position places it among the most geologically favored terroirs of the appellation, sharing limestone subsoil characteristics with some of Saint-Émilion's most celebrated addresses.

• Grand Cru Classé since the 1955 Saint-Émilion classification
• Wines produced under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation
• 7 hectares, typical of small right bank estate scale
• Limestone plateau position among Saint-Émilion's most prized terroir types