Château Meyney 1929

Another legendary vintage from the 1920s that I never imagined I’d taste when I started out in the trade. When it was born, contemporary observers considered it to be exceptional because of the magnificent ripeness of the grapes and the velvety, supple character that set it apart from the somewhat abrupt monumentality of the 1928.

For forty years, all the tasters gave preference to the 1929, while predicting that the 1928 would live longer. I have to agree with them, and the five or six 1929s I was lucky enough to taste between 1990 and 2010 (including three Premier Crus Classés) were showing signs of decline, with the exception of this marvellous Château Meyney, an ideal example of the perfection of construction and harmony of flavour of the Médoc’s greatest wines, certainly better preserved than those of the vintage’s Premier Crus Classés. The cru’s terroir benefits from the same Gironde-side microclimate as its immediate neighbour Montrose. The vineyards have been fortunate in not being drained as much. The upper part of the vineyard has retained the layer of blue-grey clay that its illustrious neighbour lacks. We don’t know the exact grape variety of the château, but the Cordier estates – of which it was a part – were among the best cared for in the region. Once again, the snobbery of the trade and collectors leads to absurd price differences between wines of perfectly comparable potential. Today, the release prices of this marvellous cru are more than enough to compensate wine-lovers who are frustrated by the ridiculous price rises that have deprived them of some of the “stars”.