Château Grand Mayne 2022

Liquorice, tobacco and clove – some spiced notes on the nose with blackcurrants. Smells plush. Supple and cool, excellent freshness combined with a silky, smooth texture that also has grip. You get flesh, pulp, salty minerality, and bitter chocolate with some bitter orange and blackcurrant leaf. Feels complex and characterful, dark and serious no doubt; this isn’t bright and vibrant like some, it’s deeper but totally seductive. A bit old-school with toasted elements, a little fully charged and full, lacking a touch more finesse overall – I wish this were a little more lifted, but this is an enjoyable wine.

Blackberries, black olives and blueberries with a crushed-stone character on both the nose and palate. It’s medium-bodied with chewy tannins and a creamy texture. Extremely well-made. Best after 2030.

With touches of espresso, incense, flowers, marine influences, cherries, and spice, the perfume quickly gains your focus. The palate is even better with its silky freshness, supple, elegant textures, and lively, energetic finish. This is purity and grace in a glass. While it can be enjoyed in its youth, it is only going to get better with age. This is the finest vintage of Grand Mayne ever produced! Drink from 2025-2045.

Deep dark ruby garnet, opaque core, purple reflections, delicate rim brightening. Fine cherries, ripe plums, delicate orange zest. Juicy, elegant, fine fruit sweetness, some nougat, discreet acidity, long-lasting, a substantial food wine with certain ageing potential.

The 2022 Château Grand Mayne checks in as 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, and it hit 14.5% alcohol, which is well within normal ranges. Its deep ruby/purple hue is followed by a concentrated, richly textured, balanced wine that has ample chocolate, red and black fruit, subtle leather, graphite, and sappy herbs and floral nuances. With medium to full body, ripe tannins, and outstanding length, it's beautifully done and has a terrific mix of finesse, elegance, and concentration.

Impressive, textured with depth to the construction overall. Redcurrant and black cherry fruits, different levels of sweetness and acidity add complexity, with a lick of liquorice running throughout. Nony family owners, 41 hl/ha yield, clay-limestone soils. Harvest from 8–20 September.

Such elegance and definition in Grand-Mayne’s bouquet, with nuances of morello cherries and redcurrants complemented by hints of sweet spices and garrigue. Slightly creamy on the attack, the wine is carried by silky, suave tannins. These also lend power, yet with finesse and precision. An inviting, compact and persistent wine, brought to a close by a refreshing salinity.

Quite marked by élevage, with notes of caramel and pastry; interesting elements (fruitiness, tannin quality) that, in this sample, struggle to fully shine, finishing bitter, even somewhat dry. The score is given with the reservation of potential positive development.

An honest, open nose expressing juicy summer fruits, lifted by a touch of sweet spice. On the palate, lovely fluidity in a concentrated wine, with black-fruit aromas and a mouthwatering finish supported by firm tannins.

Bold black fruits and ripe tannins show well in this wine with its hints of chocolate. It is a structured wine, the toast aroma showing the wood aging. Drink the wine from 2028.