Chateau Franc Mayne 2012

Characteristics and tasting tips for Château Franc Mayne 2012

Tasting

Color

The color reveals an intense, bright garnet red hue, reflecting the concentration and quality of this vintage.

Nose

Expressive and generous, the nose unveils aromas of black cherries, blackberries, and red plums. With aeration, notes of kirsch mingle with toasted, slightly smoky woody nuances. The hallmark minerality of the limestone plateau comes through in fresh, vibrant notes. Spicy hints and licorice complete this complex bouquet.

Palate

The attack is supple and refined, followed by a full, generous mid-palate. The tannins, still slightly firm at the core of the finish, display a velvety texture that promises excellent development. The palate gradually gains density, offering an elegant, polished structure. The long, persistent finish reveals aromas of red and black fruit, lightly smoky toasted oak, and refreshing licorice. The mineral character of the limestone terroir carries through to the finish, leaving the palate clean and refreshed.

Food and wine pairings

This Château Franc Mayne 2012 pairs perfectly with beef fillet en croûte served with gratin dauphinois, a rack of lamb with spring vegetables, or duck breast with porcini mushrooms. Roasted meats such as veal with mushrooms or braised leg of lamb are also excellent choices. For game lovers, roast pigeon with grape jus or venison with mushrooms will showcase the full complexity of this wine.

Serving and cellaring

Château Franc Mayne 2012 can be enjoyed now and will continue to evolve until around 2025. Decanting for one hour will allow the wine to open fully and reveal all its aromatic complexity.

An elegant, mineral Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé

The estate

Château Franc Mayne, a seven-hectare estate in Saint-Émilion in Bordeaux, has been classified as Saint-Émilion Grand Cru since 1954. Owned by Jean-Pierre Savare since January 2018, with the direct involvement of his son Thomas Savare, it is undergoing a marked phase of transformation. Located in the northwest of the appellation, on the hillside leading to the Côte de Franc, the vineyard has been converted to organic farming since the 2019 vintage, with replanting in cabernet franc and vinification developments, while strengthening a fully developed wine tourism offering.

The vineyard

The Château Franc Mayne vineyard spans seven hectares, with 6.52 hectares in production for the 2012 vintage. Located on the famous limestone plateau of Saint-Émilion, it benefits from an exceptional terroir composed primarily of limestone with varying proportions of clay, sand, and marl. This privileged setting offers favorable exposure and natural protection against spring frosts. The limestone subsoil acts as a natural water reservoir, allowing the vines to maintain steady hydration even during dry periods. The average age of the vineyard was around thirty years at the time of the 2012 harvest.

The vintage

The 2012 vintage in Bordeaux featured contrasting weather conditions. After a particularly wet April that increased disease pressure, an early summer set in as early as March. July brought beneficial rainfall, enabling the vines to recover from spring stress. Despite low yields, the harvest revealed grapes of outstanding quality, combining concentration and freshness. Hand harvesting took place between October 4 and 12, 2012, allowing for a rigorous selection of the best bunches at optimal ripeness.

Vinification and aging

The grapes for Château Franc Mayne 2012 were destemmed, then transferred by gravity into temperature-controlled truncated-cone stainless-steel and wooden vats. Fermentation took place at high temperature, reaching 30°C, to ensure optimal extraction of color, aromas, and tannins while preserving aromatic freshness. Total maceration lasted thirty days, with malolactic fermentation carried out primarily in new oak barrels. Aging lasted sixteen months in underground cellars carved into limestone, offering ideal conditions with a stable temperature of 12 to 14°C and humidity of around 85%. 50% of the wine was aged in new barrels, the remainder in one-wine barrels, bringing complexity and structure without masking the wine’s fruity, mineral character.