Franc Mayne (BIO-ORGANIC) - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2023

Jeb DUNNUCK

91

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/31/2026

Deep ruby/purple-hued, with a clean, straightforward style in its pure red and black fruits, as well as some herbs, flowers, and graphite, the 2023 Château Franc Mayne comes from a beautiful terroir just outside the village of Saint-Emilion, on the upper plateau with slightly deeper soils. All Merlot raised in 50% new oak, it’s tight and closed, medium-bodied, pure, and balanced on the palate, with solid purity, ripe, building tannins, and outstanding length. I’d like to see a touch more mid-palate depth here, but I suspect this will gain complexity and weight with 3-5 years of bottle age and should have 20-25 years of overall prime drinking. Drink 2029-2051.

The Wine Cellar Insider

93

byJeff Levethe3/30/2026

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.

Vinous

94

byAntonio Gallonithe3/16/2026

The 2023 Franc Mayne is gorgeous. Sensual and layered in the glass, with captivating aromatics, Franc Mayne is captivating. Crushed rose petal, cinnamon, new leather, pomegranate and blood orange are all beautifully lifted. This is such a classy, elegant wine. Give it a few years in bottle.

Vinous

90

byNeal Martinthe2/1/2026

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.

Jamessuckling.com

94

byJames Sucklingthe1/27/2026

Subtle aromas of milk chocolate, thyme, asphalt and dark berries. Round but elegant, medium- to full-bodied, it’s refined, with velvety tannins and an overall clean, precise style. 100% Merlot. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

My Bettane + Desseauve

91-92

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/15/2024

Élégant et pulpeux, toucher de tannin soyeux, un vrai séducteur qui sait garder une saine retenue. Ce millésime est dans la lignée du domaine.

Yvesbeck.wine

94-96

byYves Beckthe5/14/2024

Die vor einigen Jahren eingeleitete Wende hin zum Streben nach Details und Finesse beginnt sich zu konkretisieren! Die Auswirkungen waren natürlich bereits im Jahr 2022 spürbar, aber ich habe den Eindruck, dass man sich hinsichtlich der Präzision auf einem neuen Niveau befindet. Das filigrane und subtile Bouquet enthüllt Nuancen von schwarzen Beeren und Garrigue, also eine offensichtliche Frische, die durch einen Hauch von Pfefferminze bestätigt wird. Der Wein entfaltet sich reibungslos im Mund. Alles ist gut aufeinander abgestimmt, mit präzisen Tanninen, die erst spät auftreten und mit der von der Säurestruktur erzeugten Spannung harmonieren. Eine feine Herbheit fördert die Aromatik im Abgang und streckt das Finale. Ein sehr überzeugender Franc Mayne!

Jeb DUNNUCK

91-93

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/13/2024

All Merlot raised in 50% new barrels and 50% foudre and amphora, the 2023 Château Franc Mayne sports a healthy ruby/purple hue as well as attractive aromatics of ripe black cherries, red plums, iron, smoked earth, and chocolate. Medium-bodied on the palate, it brings solid depth of fruit and concentration, has building yet finely polished tannins, and the juicy, lively, yet ripe style of the vintage. Tasted twice.

The Drinks Business

92-94

byColin Haythe5/7/2024

Franc Mayne (Saint Émilion; tasted twice, the second time at the Association des Grands Crus Classés at Dassault). Gorgeously expressive aromatically. Violets. Incense. Cedar, black cherry, blueberry, a little sprinkling of wild fresh herbs. Cool and calm, glistening and shimmering. Delicate and intimate, but intense. Very pretty and actually impressively dense when one thinks about it. Very refined. Quite saline on the finish. The Cabernet fruit really sings here this year, leaving its signature on the long, lingering linear finish as a parting shot. 

The Wine Cellar Insider

92-94

byJeff Levethe5/6/2024

The wine is rich, supple, long, and fresh with a depth of flavor, strong floral edge, and vibrant, fruit-filled finish accented with licorice, and chocolate notes. The wine was made from 100% Merlot. Drink from 2027-2045. 92-94 Pts.

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

92

byJane Ansonthe5/6/2024

Ripe black fruits, orange peel, liqourice, 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 great to see the consistency in differently-styled vintages. Second year in organic certification. Thomas Duclos consultant since 2018. 50% new oak barrels and 50% of wooden casks and amphoras.

Vinous

92-94

byAntonio Gallonithe4/30/2024

The 2023 Franc Mayne is a plush, exotic Saint-Émilion. Rose petal, raspberry jam, mocha, licorice and chocolate infuse the 2023 with notable depth. This plush, extroverted Saint-Émilion is quite forward and racy—quite the charmer. Franc Mayne is all Merlot, but it has very strong aromatic and saline signatures that recall Franc. Tasted two times.

Vinous

90-92

byNeal Martinthe4/29/2024

The 2023 Franc Mayne is quite intense on the nose with black cherries, kirsch and light brown spice aromas, though it needs a little more delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chewy tannins. Modest in depth, it’s a bit muscular on the finish that just misses the nuance I have discerned in other vintages. A second bottle is better and shows more precision on the palate. I adjusted my score accordingly.

Falstaff

91

byPeter Moserthe4/29/2024

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 tan- nins, mineral, salty, touch of chocolate in the finish.

Alexandre Ma

92-94

byAlexandre Mathe4/28/2024

Wine Advocate

91-93

byWilliam Kelleythe4/26/2024

Exhibiting aromas of raspberries, sweet cherries, baking spices and licorice, the 2023 Franc-Mayne is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and supple, with good depth at the core, a suave, seamless profile and a mineral, mouthwatering finish.

Jamessuckling.com

93-94

byJames Sucklingthe4/25/2024

A tight and bright young Franc Mayne with blackberry, currant and orange-peel character. It’s medium-bodied with linear tannins and a vivid finish. Polished character here.