Château MEYLET

David FAVARD could be described aswinemaker. He took over the Winery him by his father, Michel Favard. The vineyards have been in the family since 1875 and are located on the western slope of Saint-Émilion, adjacent to Grand Cru estates such as Château and Château Mayne. The vineyards are tended with respect for the land and nature. Copper and sulfur—formerly used—and, nowadays, Bordeaux mixture are applied sparingly. These were the only substances added to the soil to produce the first vintage of Château in 1978.

David, like his father, is a strong advocate of biodynamic farming. Thiswinemaker experiment, observe, and listen in order to adapt and grow—both personally and in terms of his vines and wine—while showing the utmost respect for nature and the wine itself.
His take on DEMETER farming? “It’s a way of farming that’s been lost today, involving an energy invisible to the naked eye that interacts with nature.” A perfect harmony between the various natural elements and human action.

In the early 1990s, the winery began producing wine without sulfur; then, in 1998, it moved to sulfur-free aging. From now on, winemaking will take place in truncated-cone wooden vats, and a small amount of sulfur may be added during bottling in the blending tank—but only if necessary. Everything is done by gravity, without pumps, so as not to disturb the wine.

Since 2015, David has been managing the Winery under his father’s watchful eye. The first vintage, made without added sulfur, was the Cuvée Origine, marking the beginning of a new era for Winery. This was followed by new vintages, made without sulfur or additives: a new “ winemaker style” emerged, while remaining true to his father’s legacy.

In 2016, a new team was formed, with Anne Calderoni and Mauro Catarinella joining as collaborators: a conductor and two musicians!