CHATEAU MEYNEY Cru Bourgeois, Saint-Estephe 2023 Bottle

Description

IN BRIEF
Château Meyney 2023 opens with confident freshness: blackcurrant, plum and bramble, lifted by pressed violet and a hint of rose petal, with cedar, graphite and tobacco leaf adding a savoury backbone. Air reveals crushed bay, olive tapenade and smoked meat. Medium–full-bodied, it has a smooth, generous arrival, bright acidity and fine, well-judged tannins that provide structure without weight. Pure dark fruit and ripe plum are framed by black olive and a discreet liquorice thread; the mid-palate offers toasted cedar, dark chocolate and warm baking spice, while a stony mineral seam and saline thread drive a persistent, focused finish. Texture is polished and tactile. Drink now with decanting or cellar 8–15 years. Top scores: James Suckling 93–94; Decanter 94; Vinous 91–93.

ABOUT THIS WINE
Château Meyney, Cru Bourgeois, Saint Estèphe 2023 opens with confident freshness, a classic left bank expression showing ripe dark fruit and savoury poise. The bouquet offers blackcurrant, plum and bramble, lifted by pressed violet and a faint rose petal, while cedar, graphite and a hint of tobacco leaf provide an immediate savoury backbone. With gentle aeration, crushed bay, olive tapenade and a touch of smoked meat emerge, adding complexity and a clear sense of terroir.

On the palate the 2023 is medium to full bodied, with a smooth, generous entry, bright natural acidity and well judged, fine tannins that give structure without undue weight. Primary fruit is pure and concentrated, black fruit and ripe plum framed by black olive and a discreet thread of liquorice. The mid palate develops layered interest, showing toasted cedar, dark chocolate and a warm baking spice, while a stony mineral seam and saline thread drive the finish with clarity and momentum. Oak is measured and supportive, offering gentle vanilla and toasted spice that lift the core fruit rather than mask it.

Texture is polished and tactile, balancing silk and grip, the wine evolving in the glass to reveal savoury strata of leather, graphite and undergrowth. Secondary notes of dried herb and cured meat add nuance and length, while a chalky mineral echo lifts the close. The finish is persistent, returning to black fruit, bittersweet cocoa and a faint floral memory.

Drink now with decanting for immediate appeal, or cellar for 8 to 15 years to allow tertiary layers of truffle and forest floor to integrate. Serve at 16 to 18°C with roast beef, braised lamb, game or mature hard cheeses. Château Meyney 2023 is a composed Saint Estèphe, generous, structured and built to reward short to medium term ageing.

JAMES SUCKLING 93-94 Points
13 Apr, 2024 – A very solid Meyney with a firm tannin frame that holds the wine together. Medium body. Juicy finish.

DECANTER 94 points
Tasted by: Panos Kakaviatos (at Bordeaux, 10 Apr 2024) Part of Top value Bordeaux 2023 wines tasted en primeur
Drinking Window: 2027 - 2043
Minty fresh with ripe fruit aromas, this wine has a robust palate with iodine freshness, juiciness and even a bit of pleasurable creaminess. A bit tight on the finish at this stage, but of good quality, the tannins will soften with barrel ageing. An excellent St-Estèphe!

VINOUS 91-93 points
Drinking window: 2027 - 2043
The 2023 Meyney is terrific. Silky and polished, the 2023 shows a side of Meyney I have not seen before. There's also terrific freshness and overall brightness. Dark red plum, blood orange, chalk, mint and dried herbs are all beautifully delineated. More than anything else, I admire the wine's poise. - Antonio Galloni. Tasting date: April 2024

JANCIS ROBINSON 16.5 points
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot. Cask sample.
Purple-violet hue. Minerally and discreet with a depth of flavour on the palate. Well-structured with firm but polished tannins and plenty of drive on the finish. Bodes well for the future. (JL)

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ABOUT CHATEAU MEYNEY
Château Meyney is a respected Saint-Estèphe estate, long admired for robust, classically structured wines that combine power with a measured sense of finesse. The property sits on the well drained gravel and clay soils typical of the northern Médoc, a terroir that favours Cabernet Sauvignon while allowing Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot to contribute mid palate suppleness and aromatic complexity. Vineyards are managed with careful parcel attention, consideration for vine age and clonal selection, and yield control to ensure ripe, concentrated fruit, with sustainable practices increasingly informing soil care and long term vine health.

In the winery, traditional methods are allied with contemporary precision, grapes undergoing meticulous sorting before fermentation in temperature controlled vats, where extraction is adapted to the character of each parcel to balance tannin, colour and flavour. Ageing takes place in French oak, a proportion of which is renewed periodically to add structure and subtle spice while preserving varietal purity and site clarity. Investment in cellar equipment and sorting facilities has helped the team to refine consistency and to craft wines that will develop gracefully with time.

The Grand Vin of Château Meyney typically offers dark berry and blackcurrant fruit, savoury cedar and tobacco notes, and a mineral underpinning that speaks to Saint-Estèphe’s terroir, framed by firm, fine tannins and bright supporting acidity. On the palate the wines are layered and muscular yet not without elegance, rewarding patient cellaring as tertiary complexity emerges. Second cuvées and estate bottlings provide earlier accessibility while reflecting the château’s stylistic focus on balance and typicity. Through sustained stewardship and thoughtful winemaking, Château Meyney remains a reliable expression of northern Médoc character and ageing potential.