Wine Words & Video Tape

Wine, Words and Videotape

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Château Meyney

061

Address: 33180 St Estèphe

Telephone: +33 (0)5 56 53 00

Great strapping wines made in the 1960s and 1970s at this estate. Given the location of Château Meyney, neighbouring Château Montrose, this is not surprising. Revitalised under the ageis of GA Grands Crus who bought the property in 2004. Great improvement in the wines. 2009 and 2010 look extremely good. 2012 is also a great success for the vintage [as is 2013]. One of the many wine values of this appellation, Meyney remains slightly under the radar and represents genuine value-for-money. 

Vineyard/Terroir: 50 hectares planted with 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

Winemaking/Elévage: Temperature controlled fermentation followed by ageing in oak barrels for twenty months. Proportion of malolatic in barrel.

Tasting notes:

  • 2015 Bold and deep; saturated look; tight to rim; little oak on the nose but plenty of fat fruit beneath; layers of fruit; quite pent up; ripe fruit – black fruits beneath; good on the palate – lots of flesh and concentration – excellent palate; lots of chew and extract. Good length. Big wine in 2015. [52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot]. Drink 2023-2035. Tasted at Meyney 4/4/16. 90-92+
  • 2014 Black and dark coloured; very ripe big tarry number; liquorice and black fruits; tar and warm asphalt; palate full of fruit; bold and big; sweet fruit; lots of extract and matter; wow – recalls the big Meyney’s of the 1960s and 1970s. Lots of extract and chew. This is bold, big, strapping St Estephe. [55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 15% Petit Verdot, 30% new oak, 14 % alc]. Tasted at Meyney 31 March, 2015. 90-92+
  • 2013 Deep and saturated look; purple at edge; toasty oak and material; lots of depth and sweetness; good palate with lots of chewy material and extract; quite chewy and needs to settle a bit but has good length. Good effort here once again.Very late harvesting on the Cabernet ending 19/10 has helped here. [45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot, 37% new oak]. Drink 2020-2030. 87-89
  • 2012 Deep and saturated; lots of black cherry and blackcurrant fruit; deep; lots of depth here; impressive; nice entry on the palate; very good indeed; lots of material; nice tension on the palate; creamy tannins; very good length. This is an outstanding effort for the vintage and recalls some of Meyney’s great efforts in the past. Should be a good value buy. 42% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Petit Verdot. 90-92+ Drink 2018-2030
  • 2011 Deep and dark; saturated; quite ripe and full on the nose; ripe Merlot here; satisfying nose; generous and full; some earth; oak on the palate but will settle; lots of material and chew here; density and chew. Good length. All the elements. Should be pretty good. Meyney certainly back on form past few vintages. 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot 45% new oak. 13% alc 89-91+ At Meyney Apr ‘12 Drink 2018-2025
  • 2010 Deep; minerality, strong oak, Cabernet dominant; some rose, perfume; cassis; dense and attractive palate; lots of concentration; blackcurrant freshness and grip, lots of concentration; quite structured; very good density. Good length. 88-90/100 [55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 15% Petit Verdot]Tasted at Chateau Meyney 8th April 2011. Drink 2018-2030
  • 2009 Saturated colour; really opaque; purple at edge; dense and powerful feel to the nose; brooding, cassis notes; lots of red fruits here – succulent- with spicy notes. Palate is deep and dense and concentrated with lots of fruit and extract – quite fleshy. Very good length. Coffee and oak on the finish – overall lots of extract and flavour. Great effort. 91-93+/100 Nov ’10 at Chateau Meyney Drink now – 2030
  • 2008 Stronger, earther red, purple edge; quite ripe notes, cherry, spice and chocolate; quite attractive softish palate initially, then the structure becomes evident with tannin and acid. Feels like it might lack some depth and concentration but may fill out. A bit disjointed at present. Needs time to settle. 87-88/100 Nov ’10 at Chateau Meyney Drink 2015-2025
  • 2007 Reasonable depth, still some purple at edge; earthy looking; attractive nose, some red fruits, roundness, minerals, some depth and grip on the palate. Filling out. Grippy finish. Later more tobacco notes, meats and earth, mid-weight and feels harmonious. 86+/100 Nov ’10 at Chateau Meyney Drink now – 2020
  • 1995 Earthy black red; tobacco and meat on the nose, game and liquorice; mature tobacco, meat and savoury characters on the palate with soft ripe tannins and good mouth feel. Very good. 90/100 Mar 06 [Bottle variation with other bottles more elegant and less well developed in the 85-6/100 range]. Drink now
  • 1970 Brick red; rich full nose; big extracted palate; tannic and ballsy. Full throttle stuff. Great. Will last another 10 years at least. 92+/100 Apr ‘96
  • 1961 Deep red black; brown at edge; concentrated nose of spice, tobacco, earth and toffee; palate a ball of concentrated fruit. Some roasted elements. Really alive. Very impressive. 93+/100 Apr ‘96
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