Château Franc Mayne - 2024

2024 was characterized by an unusually mild vegetative rest period. Bud-break began around March 20 and lasted until early April, depending on the terroir. The wet conditions also favored a very early start to the mildew epidemic. At the end of March, the first symptoms of the fungus can already be observed as soon as the leaves emerge.
Weather conditions will remain historically wet, with extraordinary rainfall in terms of accumulation and frequency, and long periods of daily wetting. This will keep downy mildew pressure at unprecedented levels until the end of veraison, when bunches are at the end of their receptive period.

This relatively cool, rainy weather also affected flowering, which was spread out over the second half of June. All the advance at the start of the cycle is lost, with vegetation development slowing down.

In these delicate conditions, copper and sulfur applications to protect the vineyard are a daily routine. The whole team is mobilized around a single objective: to protect the harvest while guaranteeing our organic commitment. Veraison arrives at the end of July. This is accompanied by milder weather, giving us a respite and good conditions to begin ripening the grapes. There were marked differences from one terroir to another.
In September, the return of rain, night fog and morning humidity, accompanied by cold temperatures, forced us to make a decisive decision. We chose to wait for ripeness levels compatible with our quality objectives, at the risk of losing some of the harvest. Indeed, grey rot will appear in some plots. But we’re confident in our ability to harvest quickly and sort the crop efficiently in the vineyard, then in the cellar.
Thus, the harvest began on September 25, at the end of a historically long vegetative cycle. The quality and cleanliness of the musts are the reward for all our efforts.

“Franc Mayne 2024 reveals an expressive nose of ripe, fresh fruit. The palate is precise, with chiselled tannins present from the attack to the finish, with just the right balance between density, roundness and tension. We find the crispness of the fruit and the emblematic energy of Franc Mayne that stretches the wine.”