Wine: Chateau Meyney Cru Bourgeois 2020 Saint Estephe
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux
Designation: Saint-Estephe AOC Saint-Estèphe
Producer: Chateau Meyney
Grape Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot
ABV:
Type: Red
Code: 6868
Tasting Note
The nose is full of savoury graphite and earthy undertones, layered by bright red cherries and a little darker brambly fruit. The palate is laden with bright red fruit and fine, precise tannins. Elegant layering with savoury spice showcases a depth of black fruit through the mid-palate. Vibrant and crunchy through to the finish.
Producer
Many believe Château Meyney should have gained Grand Cru Classé status in 1855. Its wines certainly show their class.
The prestigious Saint-Estèphe vineyard was built around the Meyney estate. From the middle of the 13th century, these lands were looked after by Cistercian monks who made them one of the very first structured wine-growing operations in the North Médoc. The term "château" was added to Meyney by the Luetkens family in the 19th century, an entry into modernity thanks to a line of inspired women. In 1919, the Cordiers, powerful merchants, acquired the property and gave the Meyney wines an international reputation and distribution. Since the acquisition by the Crédit Agricole group in 2004, the sleeping beauty has been awakened under the leadership of Anne Le Naour.
Winemaking
The grapes are harvested by hand and picked carefully, assuring only the choicest varietals get chosen for the wine. After this, they are then passed through an optical sorting machine prior to being fermented in vats of varying sizes. The wine of Château Meyney is subsequently vinified in traditional temperature controlled cement vats prior to being aged in an average of 50% new French oak barrels for approximately 18 months. Younger vintages of Château Meyney can be decanted for 1 to 2 hours. Château Meyney prides itself in creating complex, concentrated wines with complexity, balance and harmony.
Fun Fact
Despite not being part of the 1855 classification, Château Meyney is often considered one of the "hidden gems" of Bordeaux due to the quality of its wines, which often offer exceptional value for money.
Awards & Accolades
Vivino 4.1
92 points Wine Spectator
92 points Robert Parker
93 points Jane Anson Bordeaux 2020: Best Value Reds
A punch of bright plummy fruits, a little austere on the finish but one that you feel will age well. Mocha and coffee bean through the mid palate, keeping things moving right along at a fair pace, with a generous handful of rosemary and sage spice on the finish. Always one of the real value picks in St-Estèphe.
93 points James Suckling
Attractive aromas of ripe dark berries with dark spices, walnut, chocolate nibs and bark. Medium- to full-bodied with a dense, velvety texture and plush, fine-grained tannins. Very textural and creamy with a deep core of ripe dark fruit and a succulent finish. Best from 2025.
93 points Decanter
A punch of bright plummy fruits, a little austere on the finish but one that you feel will age well. Mocha and coffee bean through the mid palate, keeping things moving right along at a fair pace, with a generous handful of rosemary and sage spice on the finish. Always one of the real value picks in St-Estèphe. Drinking Window 2025 - 2038
92 points Wine Advocate
A strong performance for this improving estate, the 2020 Meyney unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, plums, violets, cigar box and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, with a pure and fleshy core of fruit framed by sweet, powdery tannins and lively acids, it has retained energy and balance in this warm vintage.
17.5 points Jancis Robinson
Dark, lustrous crimson. Really very glamorous indeed. Ripe but fresh nose with an interesting balsam note. Smooth as satin initially on the palate with the savoury tannins (actually there in abundance) just nudging onto the palate at the end, which is dry but not drying. Very long and rather splendid on the finish with St-Estèphe’s stoniness evident. Very smart indeed with no concessions to simple sweetness.
