Neal Martin just gave a pretty glowing review to the 2015 Ch. Meyney, and considering its very reasonable price, decided to buy one and try it. The wine is 13.5%abv. What I tasted was kind of charming, with fine tannins, black fruits, not great length. Pretty middling weight and concentration, and balanced. But it is pretty closed. What was interesting to me was that it is closed but quite drinkable (as I said, a bit charming). I do not buy a lot of Meyney and hence, a reference for me was their 1986. I was first trying to understand Bordeaux at that time, reading up and all, and that wine I recall got a good review and was at a price I could afford at the time. I had friends over and decided to give that young ‘86 Meyney a try with them, with some fanfare since it was all new to me (and them) and alas, it was an undrinkable wall of rough tannin and no fruit apparent, and no charm whatsoever. A wall of tannin. Maybe an unfair comparison- different vintages, different times, probably evolved winemaking. But back to the 2015, and it is of a different ilk. FWIW, of course. I would not concur with the NM 94 score, but it is pretty good, and I look forward to trying it again in a few years.
I posted a thread within the past year calling the 86 Meyney the greatest QPR in the history of Bordeaux. I have had multiple cases of this wine throughout its evolution, and it has rarely disappointed. The 82, 88, 89 and 90 are also contenders. Meyney, then, was part of the Cordier stable, including Talbot, Gruaud Larose, La Lagune and Cantemerle, all of whom produced awesome wines during that period. Leve rates the 1986 an 87 in his last note and the 1988 an 84. Look at his Meyney scores on recent releases, they are much much higher, generally 90-94.
Why?
Ownership changed hands in 2003/2004. I did not know of the change, and had bought a fair bit of the 2005. Do no like it at all. MarcF and I had some together as my last bottle, before i got rid of the rest, and I do not recall that we even finished it. I did not like 2009, either. Making matters worse - or better if you like his style - Bouard came on board in 2013. Scores got higher.
I have not tried Bouard’s versions of Meyney yet, but I do not like what he has done with other excellent QPRs, including Cambon La Pelouse, and was not that impressed with the 2015 Lanessan.
I’ll grab a new Meyney to check it out. I hear the 2018 has like 20% Petit Verdot. That could be cool.
Thanks for posting. As I suspect you know, the 86 was the worst possible (decent) vintage you could have tried young, for a test drive. I am not sure the stablemate 86 Gruaud will ever be “ready” to my tastes.
I’d love to be alive and kicking long enough to test 15 Meyney in its prime. If I can find some in halves I might bite.
Aside from any possible changes in winemaking philosophy at Meyney, in its youth 1986 Bordeaux was just as you describe: “an undrinkable wall of rough tannin and no fruit apparent, and no charm whatsoever.” Many thought the wines, including those with great barrel scores, would not have enough fruit to outlast the tannins. Your impressions were right on the money for a young 1986. The critics that had faith in the vintage turned out to be right for many of the wines as long as you were patient. I was glad I held on to mine as they started opening around 2010 and gave a lot of pleasure.
Funny thing with those 1986 Cordiers: the Talbot was a star really early on- I had quite a few of those fairly early, and the Gruaud, as I recall, was pretty delicious after about year 10. Wish I had them both now!
If you can find a good stored bottle of 1986 Chasse Spleen buy it. Fantastic and as good as Meyney.
Thanks, Jurgen! I have not but really like the 89.
86 Talbot last year at a Sacramento offline was WOTN.
My last bottle of 1988 Meyney, from a pretty lean (dare I say classic) was still drinking well last year.
Have had 6+ bottles of the '86 Meyney and can’t recall any that didn’t please.
Cordier stable was lording it during the 80’s, and to a lesser extent, in the 70’s.
An '86 Gruaud Larose, back in September, was WOTN among an impressive dinner line-up of Bordeaux from '82 to '86.
I find that the 86 Gruaud Larose has gone to another level in the last 3-4 years. It’s been really good since at least circa 2008 but didn’t show its full inner beauty until recently.
+1. The bottle Ramon mentioned above after about an hour of air went to another level. With a long life ahead for similar bottles.
The good ‘86s are so packed that I think we are just seeing the beginning of where they will go.
A drift but…does the blossoming of 86s provide any parable to 1995 Bordeaux? Or are the 95s not as “packed”?
Just reading the reviews - without having tasted either of 15 or 16 - it seems like the 16 Meyney might be the next rendition of the superb 86
coincidentally, my lone bottle of EP 16 Meyney just showed up at K&L last week
BTW, the 15 Meyney is available in half-bottles for $19.99 at Binnys, where apparently Meyney is not dead at retail.
Clos des Jacobins was also in the Cordier stable at that time. IMHO all the wines that Georges Pauli oversaw were excellent and outstanding values.