Chateau Mazeyres, Pomerol

Alain Moueix inherited the Château Mazeyres in 2001 from his ancestors, a family that originally began as wine merchants (négociant) and today owns numerous Bordeaux wineries, especially in Saint Emilion and Pomerol, but also in the Médoc and in California.

At the same time he took over the managemnt of Château Fonroque in Saint Emilion.

As an agricultural engineer and oenologist, he relied on nature's biological intelligence right from the start in order to use it to improve his wines and to interfere as little as possible with the natural cycle, but to support it with biodynamic methods. During its pragmatic application, he feels how the soil and vines react positively to it.

In 2006, Château Fonroque and Château Mazeyres were certified organic and two years later they were certified as biodynamic wineries by the French association biodyvin.

Promoting the harmonious vibration of his 18 hectare vineyards, planted with 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, is an absolute priority for Alain Moueix. His keen attention to soil sustainability and terroir development continues to grow as he studies biological phenomena and their pragmatic applications. From now on, the goal is to use conscious methods to highlight the brilliance and balance of the wines. Eighteen years of collaboration with the Bordeaux wine trade and as many years of enthusiastic and research work have led the estate and its residents and employees to evolve towards a transition to organic farming and then to biodynamic farming. A patient and passionate adventure that this charming property with biodynamic certification succeeds in becoming a very magnificent Pomerol whose international recognition is constantly growing.

On the way to Château Mazeyres

While the harvest obviously represents a fundamental step whose natural sustainability enhances our joy in the cyclical propagation of the best grapes, the next step, winemaking, very quickly determines its daily rhythm. It requires simple gestures and subtle decisions in everyday life to prepare the grapes for ripening in containers of different shapes, textures and sizes depending on the winery and terroir. Later, before the wine is bottled, the individual wines, grown separately according to grape variety and plot, must be analyzed and put together to form a cuvée. This moment requires maximum concentration and is the most creative of all, because it involves predicting how a cuvée will develop in 5, 10 or more years.

The ensuing journey gets under people's skin and nothing could be more inspiring for a winemaker than to contribute to the sensory magic that life brings.
“Winemaking follows fairly strict rules that are well known to winemakers. But obedience to already proven laws must never lead us to lose sight of the possible inventions that seek to intervene in traditional practices in order to develop them further. In this phase, as in others, we always observe our work and its impact, with a certain degree of openness to what new things might emerge.

Questions of evolution and adaptation now determine the life of Château Fonroque and its future, which also includes Châteaux Mazeyres. She also caught up with Alain Moueix in 2017, who sold the winery to the Guillard family from Nantes. Since then he has worked there as an administrator, but also advises and supports other wineries on their way to organic and biodynamic viticulture.

The reason for the sale is said to have been the lack of capital to modernize the Chateau Fonroque and the Château Mazeyres, i.e. its cellars, and to replant part of the vineyards. In addition, an aunt who also had shares wanted to be paid out.