Château Mémoires

Identity

Château Mémoires is a winegrowing estate located in the commune of Saint-Maixant, in the Gironde department. The property is managed by Elsa Ménard, alongside Jean-François and Beate Ménard. The estate was founded by Jean-François Ménard.

History and Philosophy

The estate was established in 1985 by Jean-François Ménard with an initial surface area of five hectares of vines. Over the years, Château Mémoires expanded its plots and developed its viticultural practices. The estate has been committed to organic farming since 2012 and has practised biodynamics since 2019. It also holds HVE certification.

Appellations

The estate produces wines under the Bordeaux rosé appellation.

Practical Information

Château Mémoires is located at 2, Lieu-Dit Cussol, 33490 Saint-Maixant. The estate can be contacted by telephone on +33 (0)5 56 62 06 43 or by email at contact@chateau-memoires.fr.

The estate offers wine tastings and direct cellar-door sales. Visits are available Monday to Friday and at weekends by appointment. Château Mémoires holds the “Vignobles et Chais en Bordelais” quality label.

Find out more

Official estate website

The Vineyard (Terroir)

The vineyard of Château Mémoires covers a documented surface area of 30 hectares, although other sources mention 50 hectares for the entire property or 20 planted hectares (divided equally between 10 hectares of red and 10 hectares of white). The vines have an average age of 55 years and thrive on clay-sandy soils. The vineyard enjoys south-facing hillside slopes on the first hillsides of the Garonne's right bank, in the commune of Saint-Maixant.

The white grape varieties comprise Sauvignon, Sémillon and Muscadelle, with a specific mention of 90% Sauvignon for one particular cuvée alongside some Sauvignon gris. The red grape varieties include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, with a specific mention of Malbec (Côt).

Signature Cuvées

Château Mémoires crafts several distinct cuvées. Among them is a still rosé wine, produced under the Bordeaux appellation, made predominantly from Sauvignon. Another flagship cuvée is “Grain d'Or”, a blend of Sémillon (85%), Muscadelle (10%) and Sauvignon. This wine is distinguished by floral and candied notes on the nose, followed by a generous, rich palate balanced by a vibrant finish. The estate produces around 12,000 bottles of certain cuvées.

Vinification and Ageing

Harvesting is carried out both by hand and mechanically. Some wines undergo ageing in vats, while others benefit from patient ageing first in vat and then in oak barrel.