Domaine du Grand mayne
Andrew Gordon, an English wine merchant, bought Domaine du Grand Mayne in 1985. At that time it was an abandoned vineyard with derelict buildings and fields of maize and sunflowers rather than vines. However, the wonderful south facing slopes and potential of this land so close to the Bordeaux appellation was instantly appealing.
Working closely with his manager and winemaker, Michel Coutin, they have transformed the property. In 1985 there were just 1200 established Merlot vines. The first step was to deep-plough and prepare the land. Then, from 1986 onwards they embarked on an ambitious planting programme.
Domaine du Grand Mayne has been totally transformed into a show-piece winery and vineyard. There are now more than 120,000 vines planted on some 34 hectares (80 acres) of land.
In 1992 the size of the winery was tripled and an adjoining modern building added to create a special vinification area for the white wines. In 2004 an air conditioned underground barrel cellar was completed, providing a perfect environment for the fine red wines to mature.
Domaine du Grand Mayne is now one of the top vineyards in the Cotes de Duras, producing a quarter of a million bottles of wine each year.
