Château Mangot

Identity

Château Mangot is situated in Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse, in the Gironde department. Owned by the Todeschini family, it is managed and vinified by Karl and Yann Todeschini, who represent the third generation at the helm of the estate.

History and philosophy

Château Mangot, with records mentioning its name as far back as 1515 and the estate in 1546, was acquired by the Petit family in 1952. In 1989, Anne-Marie and Jean-Guy Todeschini took over, undertaking a comprehensive restructuring of the vineyard, replanting the slopes and terraces, and modernising technical facilities throughout the 1990s. Their sons, Karl and Yann Todeschini, took charge of the estate in 2008. The property was promoted to Grand Cru Classé in September 2022. The estate is firmly committed to ecological viticulture, eschewing synthetic products and favouring tailored soil cultivation. It has been certified in Agriculture Biologique since 2020 and is a member of Biodyvin, having introduced biodynamic practices in 2018. Château Mangot is also certified Haute Valeur Environnementale (Level 3) and ISO 14001. The winemaking philosophy relies on indigenous yeasts, zero synthetic additives, and minimal sulphur additions.

Appellations

Château Mangot produces wines under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru and Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux appellations.

Winemaking and ageing

Vinification is conducted plot by plot, with extraction techniques (pump-overs, rack-and-return) tailored to each batch. Fermentation vats, primarily stainless steel or concrete, are dedicated to specific terroirs or grape varieties. Following pressing, batches are kept separate for malolactic fermentation. Ageing takes place in casks, barriques (new, one-wine, and older), foudres, vats, and amphorae (for select wines), customised for every lot to preserve fruit purity and varietal character. Wines are crafted using indigenous yeasts and minimal sulphur levels.

Practical information

Château Mangot is located at 1333 Route de Savoie, 33330 Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse. The estate is open from Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 12:00 and 13:30 to 17:30, all year round from January to December. Tours and tastings are available throughout the year by appointment, featuring tastings of 4 or 5 wines. The property welcomes groups (up to 50 people), provides visitor parking, and is accessible to guests with reduced mobility. On-site dining options, direct cellar-door sales, and international shipping are available. Payments are accepted by debit/credit card and cash. Private events can also be hosted. Guided tours are available in English.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The vineyard covers 34 hectares, located in the eastern sector of the Saint-Émilion appellation. Formed of a single contiguous block, it comprises 21 parcels spread across diverse terroirs: foot-of-slope, hillsides, terraces, and plateaux. The primary terroir is clay-limestone over Asteria limestone (calcaire à astéries), particularly on a limestone plateau. The vines have an average age of 42 to 45 years. The grape varieties planted consist of 70–80% Merlot, 15–25% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Harvesting is carried out entirely by hand, plot by plot, tailored to grape variety, terroir, altitude, aspect, and vine age. The estate preserves considerable biodiversity through dedicated ecological reserves.

Signature cuvées

The estate produces several cuvées. The flagship wine is Château Mangot, crafted predominantly from Merlot. A former prestige cuvée, Quintessence, was created in 1996 and discontinued in 2012; it came from old Merlot vines (around 60 years old) with a touch of Cabernet Franc, aged in new oak. The current top-tier cuvée is Todeschini, launched in 2008. Its blend places greater emphasis on Cabernets (around 40% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 30% Merlot in certain vintages), and is vinified entirely in oak barrels (vinification intégrale). The estate also produces L'Autre Mangot, a cuvée made of equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc, which can be vinified without added sulphur. The Distique cuvée, whose first numbered vintage (Distique 1) was 2008, features a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Finally, the rosé M de Mangot is made predominantly from Merlot.