Château des Mailles
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Discover Château des Mailles, a winegrowing estate in Sainte-Croix-Du-Mont. The Larrieu family crafts wines under the AOC Sainte-Croix-Du-Mont, Bordeaux Rouge, Rosé, Moelleux, and Blanc Sec appellations on clay-limestone soils.
Identity
Château des Mailles is an estate located in Sainte-Croix-Du-Mont, in the Gironde department. It is owned by the Larrieu family, with Laurence Larrieu at the helm as winemaker.
History and Philosophy
The history of Château des Mailles dates back to 1734. The estate remains in the hands of the Larrieu family.
Appellations
Château des Mailles produces wines under several appellations, including AOC Sainte-Croix-Du-Mont, AOC Bordeaux Moelleux, AOC Bordeaux Rouge, AOC Bordeaux Rosé, and AOC Bordeaux Blanc Sec.
Practical Information
Château des Mailles is located at 7 Vilate sud, 33410 Sainte-Croix-Du-Mont. To contact the estate, please call +33 5 56 62 01 20 or email chateau.des.mailles@wanadoo.fr.
The cellar door is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 18:00. At weekends, visits are by appointment only by calling 06 88 67 51 45. Tours and tastings are free of charge and can accommodate groups of up to 80 people (€3/person for tastings with groups of 10 or more, booking required). English and Spanish are spoken. Pets are welcome and group activities are available.
The estate provides various wine tourism activities, including an introduction to sweet wine tasting, an Escape Game, duo packages combining both activities, an orienteering trail through the vines, and a tractor trailer ride through the vineyard and the village. Accepted payment methods include credit/debit cards, French cheques, and cash. The estate offers click-and-collect/takeaway sales, a play area, and delivery options. The property holds the Bienvenue à la Ferme and Vignobles et Découvertes quality accreditations.
Find Out More
Frequently asked questions
- What are the key characteristics of the terroir at Château des Mailles?
- The Château des Mailles vineyard spans 30 hectares, mostly planted on steep south-facing hillsides overlooking the Garonne. The soils are clay-limestone sitting on beds of fossilised oyster shells, which impart a distinct character to the wines. For the red and rosé wines, certain plots face north on clay soils. These geological and topographical features directly shape the quality and personality of the estate's various cuvées.
- What styles of wine does Château des Mailles produce, and under which appellations?
- Château des Mailles produces a versatile range of wines. In white, it crafts a sweet botrytised wine under the Sainte-Croix-Du-Mont appellation, alongside a Bordeaux Moelleux and a Bordeaux Blanc Sec. For red and rosé styles, the estate produces wines under the Bordeaux Rouge and Bordeaux Rosé appellations. Each appellation reflects dedicated blends and terroirs across the estate.
- Which grape varieties are grown at Château des Mailles?
- Château des Mailles works with several classic grape varieties. For white wines, including sweet styles, Sémillon, Muscadelle, and Sauvignon are used. Sémillon predominates in the sweet wines, often blended with Muscadelle and Sauvignon, while Sauvignon takes the lead in the dry white. For red and rosé wines, Merlot and Cabernet Franc are used, generally in equal proportions.
- How are vinification and ageing managed at Château des Mailles?
- Winemaking and ageing techniques are tailored to each style of wine. Sweet wines are hand-harvested and fermented in concrete vats, followed by ageing in concrete vats and a period in oak barrels for the Cuvée Laurence. Red wines are vinified and aged in stainless steel vats, with barrel ageing for the Cuvée Réserve, from machine-harvested fruit. The rosés and dry whites are vinified and aged in concrete vats following a mechanical harvest.
The Vineyard (Terroir)
The Château des Mailles vineyard covers a total of 30 hectares. The plots are predominantly south-facing, situated on steep hillsides overlooking the Garonne River. The soils are clay-limestone, resting on beds of fossilised oyster shells.
The cultivated grape varieties include Sémillon, Muscadelle, and Sauvignon for the white wines, alongside Merlot and Cabernet Franc for the red and rosé wines.
Flagship Cuvées
The estate offers a diverse range of wines.
Sweet Botrytised Wines (Liquoreux)
The flagship wine is the AOC Sainte-Croix-Du-Mont Liquoreux, featuring the Cuvée Laurence. This wine is crafted from Sémillon (90%), Muscadelle (5%), and Sauvignon (5%). Harvesting is carried out by hand in successive selective pickings (tries) of botrytised grapes (Botrytis cinerea). The clay-limestone soils and the south-facing exposure of the plots contribute to optimal aromatic concentration. A Bordeaux Moelleux cuvée, made from 100% Sémillon, is also produced.
Red Wines
The red wines are produced under the AOC Bordeaux Rouge appellation. They are made from a blend of Merlot (50%) and Cabernet Franc (50%). The parcels dedicated to this cuvée face north on clay soils.
Rosé Wines
Château des Mailles crafts a rosé wine under the AOC Bordeaux Rosé appellation, using the same grape varieties (Merlot 50%, Cabernet Franc 50%) and the same north-facing clay parcels as the red wine.
Dry White Wines
A dry white wine is also produced under the AOC Bordeaux Blanc Sec appellation. It is predominantly composed of Sauvignon (95%) complemented by Sémillon (5%). The plots have a southern exposure and clay soils.
Vinification and Ageing
Vinification of the sweet wines (Sainte-Croix-Du-Mont and Bordeaux Moelleux) takes place in concrete vats. Ageing is also carried out in concrete vats, with barrel ageing for the Cuvée Laurence. Grapes for these wines are harvested entirely by hand.
For the red wines (AOC Bordeaux Rouge), vinification takes place in stainless steel vats. Ageing is carried out in stainless steel vats, with a period in oak barrels for the Cuvée Réserve. Harvesting is done by machine.
The rosé wines (AOC Bordeaux Rosé) are vinified and aged in concrete vats, following a machine harvest.
The dry white wines (AOC Bordeaux Blanc Sec) are both vinified and aged in concrete vats, from mechanically harvested grapes.
- Appellations
- Sainte-Croix-du-Mont, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Rosé, Saint-Émilion
- Commune
- Sainte-Croix-du-Mont
- Wine region
- Entre-deux-Mers
- Owner
- Laurence LARRIEU
- Surface area
- 30 ha
- Grape varieties
- Sémillon, Muscadelle, Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Practical information
- Address
- 7 Vilatte sud, 33410 Sainte-Croix-Du-Mont
- Phone
- 05.56.62.01.20
- Contact form
- Contact the estate
- Opening hours
- Du lundi au vendredi de 8h à 12h et de 14h à 18h
- Visits
- Les week-ends, sur rendez-vous - 06 88 67 51 45. Visite et Dégustation gratuite (groupes jusqu'à 80 personnes 3€/pers). Réservation souhaitée à partir de 10 personnes pour la dégustation.