Château Grand Mayne 2021

Fairly developed, with notes of chocolate and cherry; compact on the palate, firm yet well-integrated tannins, good length, flawless.

Smells ripe, dark and heady. A plump start, bright and round, with concentration on the dark fruits. It’s clean and well worked, not pushed too hard, but it feels as if they struggled to get full ripeness given the soft texture on the mid-palate. However, there’s a nice sleekness and a sense of gentle energy from start to finish. I loved this En Primeur and it may just need a bit more time to fill out. Shows promise, and it’s better to be restrained than to try to force a style that wouldn’t have worked in 2021.

75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample. Reticent nose with a floral nuance. Compact, with layered fruit and integrated tannins. Slightly drying finish but there is substance. (JL)

They are clearly on a roll at Grand Mayne lately. Even in this difficult vintage, the wine has more than enough black cherries, licorice, plums, espresso, and flowers to keep it interesting. Medium-bodied, soft, round and forward, this is going to be easy to enjoy on release, or with just a bit of age. Drink from 2025-2044.

Deep garnet fading to purple on the narrow rim. Delicate cranberry and cassis alongside notes of fresh orange zest. Medium-bodied, red wild berries and cherries, subtle tannins, a touch of nougat on the finish, lemon-salty aftertaste.

The 2021 Château Grand Mayne showed beautifully, with a spicy, red- and black-fruited, complex profile as well as medium-bodied richness and depth. This forward, charming, elegant 2021 has terrific overall balance, and while I like it today, it should benefit from just a few years of bottle age and shine over the following decade.

Beguiling bouquet: freshly picked Alpine blueberry, seductive iris fragrance, redcurrant jelly, and Tasmanian mountain pepper. On the complex palate, a silky texture, ripe extract richness, tightly knit tannins, and a well-trained frame. The concentrated finish shows blueberry contours; carried by a nervy, racy edge, the St. Émilion goes on and on. An impressive performance!

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc) Dense, velvety, finely creamy bouquet with strawberries, mulberries, mint, subtle praline notes, light tobacco. Balanced, dense, elegant, multi-layered palate with powerful, bright, fresh fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a finely concentrated, silky-creamy structure, diverse and intense aromatics, and a long, vigorous finish. Has room to improve.

(75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc) Dense, velvety, finely creamy bouquet with strawberries, mulberries, mint, subtle praline notes, and light tobacco. Balanced, dense, elegant, and multi-layered palate with powerful, precise, fresh fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a finely concentrated, silky-creamy structure, diverse and intense aromatics, and a long, persistent finish. Has room to improve further. 18/20 2028 - 2050

Cherry red in colour, with waves of wild strawberry, leafy raspberry, cloves and grilled sandalwood. Charming, if a little short on the finish. 50% new oak, 33 hl/ha yield.

A blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Grand Mayne is deep garnet-purple in color. The nose is oak-dominated to start off, giving way to a core of juicy plums and stewed cherries, plus a touch of fallen leaves. The medium-bodied palate is chewy and refreshing, though a little thin on fruit and woody on the finish.

Very precise in style, Grand Mayne reveals floral and fruity nuances. Plenty of subtlety and detail, with notes of elderflower and garrigue. Fine and juicy, the wine shows tension, drive, and supportive, perfectly integrated tannins. A wine built on finesse, freshness, and tension.

Deep, slightly evolved red colour. Intense nose with ripe, creamy fruit. The palate is immediately flavoursome, developing the desired mellow texture with good mid-palate presence. Good length on the finish with a hint of oak, typical of this wine.

The 2021 Grand Mayne offers up rich aromas of crème de cassis, fruitcake and toasty new oak, followed by a medium-bodied palate with an ample attack that segues into a mid-palate built around powdery tannins and tangy acids that carry through to the somewhat metallic finish.