The Mazeau family have been farming grapes in Bordeaux, France, since 1928 and they are still going strong today. Philipe Mazeau heads the family business, ably supported by his daughter Oriane as winemaker and his son Zavier, who oversees sales and marketing (and surfing when time permits). The family have three Estates in the Entre deux Mers district, a region of beautiful farmland between the Garonne river to the south and the Dordogne river to the north. Chateau Toutigeac Estate has been in the family the longest, whilst at Chateau de Hartes, the average vine age is 35 years. These vines are predominantly made up of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, varieties synonymous with Bordeaux.
A change in viticultural practice towards a more natural way of farming has seen the return of deer, boars, rabbits and other small animals, all coexisting between the vines. It's a picturesque scene that makes sense. The presence of nature in the vineyard helps soil regeneration and contributes towards more consistent yields, something that is incredibly important in Bordeaux, where vines have been present for millennia. Indeed, to encourage vine longevity a speaker plays music across the vineyards twice a day for seven minutes, stimulating the vines to fight fungus.
