Château Franc le Maine

Identity

Château Franc le Maine is a winegrowing estate located in Vignonet, in the Gironde. The property is owned by Sylvie and Philippe Bardet, forming part of Vignobles Bardet.

History and philosophy

The origins of the Château Franc le Maine vineyard date back to the 15th century. The property was acquired by its current owners, Sylvie and Philippe Bardet, in 2008. The estate is committed to an agroecological approach, with soil management characterised by total, permanent natural grass cover. It also holds Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE) certification.

The appellations

The plots of Château Franc le Maine are located south-east of the commune of Saint-Laurent des Combes and produce wines under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation.

Practical information

Château Franc le Maine is located at 745 Chemin de La Cale, 33330 Vignonet. The estate can be contacted by telephone on +33 (0)5 57 84 53 16 and by email at vignobles@vignobles-bardet.fr.

The tasting cellar is open Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm and from 1:30 pm to 6:00 pm. Winemaker tours, followed by a tasting of the estate's Grands Crus, are available by appointment only at a rate of €15 per person. The estate accommodates groups and pets. Visitor parking and on-site toilet facilities are available. Payments can be made by bank card or cheque. Spoken languages are English, French and Spanish.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The Château Franc le Maine vineyard covers an area of 11.50 hectares. It is planted on soils composed of sand over gravel, as well as sandy and sandy-clay soils. The average age of the vines is 51 years. The grape variety blend consists of 65% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Flagship cuvées

The wines of Château Franc le Maine are defined by meticulous vinification. Great emphasis is placed on mastering the winemaking process, notably limiting the use of sulphites through ongoing research into wine microbiology. Berry selection is carried out using sorting technologies such as Tribaie and Calibaie. Maceration is conducted by infusion with complete submersion of the cap.

Vinification and ageing

Vinification takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The wines are aged for 14 to 18 months in oak barrels, 50% of which are new. The harvest is carried out entirely by hand.