I know that I’m probably preaching to the choir, but this one is it. The 1986 Meyney is the greatest Bordeaux QPR of the last 30+ years. I’m guessing that I’ve had this wine two dozen times, and have yet had a bottle that didn’t give me the warm fuzzies. My most recent, a 1986 from 375 last November:
This 1986 out of 750 is just perfect. Not as in 100 points of perfect, of a revelatory wine of historic distinction. That’s not this kind of perfect. This kind of perfect is like that great pair of faded jeans that makes your ass like just right, not too tight to make you uncomfortable, but tight enough to rock all the curves. The nose is beguiling, a mature perfume of classic Bordeaux funk, dark and plummy fruits, petrichor, leather, truffles and a lovely hint of barnyard. The palate is a caressing mid-weight wine with tannins fully resolved but still crisp structure from red-fruit acid. Great balance of red, dark and plummy fruits and tobacco. Finish is starting to show a bit of dryness, suggesting to me that this wine is on the deep backside of apogee. Still alive, lovely, delicious, but you should start consuming your final stash.
I had a 1986 La Lagune a couple months ago that showed just a touch better. I wish all Bordeaux were made this way; I wish I had stocked up on cases of Meyney and La Lagune from the key 1980s vintages. I put 2000 Lanessan and 2000 Sociando in this mix, and of course, the famed 1990 Chateau La Louviere.
Great post - I’ve never tried the Meyney 86 and now I wish I had! I like the analogy, too - I get your point completely. It’s always tempting to go down the “things were better in the olden days” road, which I suppose is the sign that we’ve turned into our fathers, but in some cases, they were right and we are now. Many châteaux needed more fruit and more concentration, but not all did and the modern obsession with both has bulldozed the qualities we admire into a corner or obliterated them completely. I agree entirely about La Louvière 1990 - I wouldn’t say La Louvière’s come close since. I would add Cantemerle 1989 to that category - a wonderful wine and sadly the last of its kind. Also Haut Bages Libéral 1990.
Funnily enough I was thinking along the same lines drinking Malescot 2004 last night, but for opposite reasons (I don’t want to pollute your thread and I’ll put that elsewhere).
Of course, silly me. Well, yes, they were all cheap. Apart from CBs, all Bordeaux was a whole lot cheaper.
La Louvière 1990 cost me I think around 10 euros - it can still be found for around 50€.
Cantemerle 1989 was about 20€, now about 45€. In real terms, recent vintages are at around the same price as the 89 - but not for the same quality. It’s still good, but the 89 was one of the finest of the year - easily better than LLC, for example, at 7 or 8 times less.
HBL 1990 cost me about 15€. I got some last week for 45€, which I’m fine with. In terms of quality, HBL 1990 is close to Lynch-Bages at 6 or 7 times less.
A great note on an excellent wine. Another 86 that turned out just fine despite the vintage supposedly being too tannic. Maybe I’m just a tanning pig but I thought a lot of those wines turned out fine given enough cellar time.
And 1988 turned out to be somewhat of a sleeper vintage for a number of left bankers that turned out better than expected once they got 20+ years on them. Lynch Bages, Talbot, Pichon Lalande, Haut Brion have all recently exceeded expectations.
Given your lengthy experience in Bordeaux, what are your thoughts on current wines that may blossom or show like these wonderful Meyneys from the 1980s, say wines readily available vintage 2000 to current? My deepest bet is Sociando, but I also have a long history with, and affinity for, this chateau.
Nothing earth-shattering, mostly old standbys that I still trust to develop that aged Bordeaux complexity that I love when they get to 25 or 30 years old. Meyney, La Lagune, Lanessan, Sociando, Poujeaux for value plays and moving up the price scale Talbot, Gruaud, Lynch Bages, Léoville Barton, Pontet Canet, both Pichons, Cos, Montrose, Ducru, Las Cases if you’re in your 30s and you’re really really patient, Haut Brion and Margaux if you have Alfert money. Canon, Clinet and Conseillante on the right bank but I know Pomerols aren’t your faves.
I’m an optimist about potential as long as the wines haven’t been totally slammed with excess hang time and oak. I believed that the too-ripe 1982s would turn out ok, and they did. I believed that the too-ripe 1990s would turn out ok, and they did. The 2000s are on their way. For those that fear excess ripeness the “lesser” years are a good bet and are cheaper: 2006, 2008, 2012, 2014 in particular. I also have faith in the bigger years like 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015 and 2016.
I agree with most everything said here, but I would add to the QPR/Classic Bordeaux list Chateau Chasse Spleen. It is perhaps not as consistent in vintage after vintage as Sociando or Lanessan, but the 1986 and 1989 are really good right now.