2014 Chateau Meyney has been uncorked and other ramblings....

[JimHow]

Let's see how this puppy is doing tonight....

[stefan]

How is 2014 Pontet Canet now? Normally I don't buy Bdx in Texas because we have too much here, but there was a big sale at Spec's and I thought to try it if it is drinkable now.

[JimHow]

Boy I'll bet 2014 + Pontet Canet is excellent, although that guy was still making the wines there at that time. I was very impressed with the seemingly new styled 2020 Pontet Canet when I had it at a steakhouse in Cleveland.

This 2014 Meyney is smoking....

[JimHow]

Wow. The 2014 Meyney is nothing short of brilliant. It has everything I look for in a great St. Estephe. Brilliantly opaque purple, cedar and pencil on the nose, rich, ripe cassis in the palate. Still youthful but offering up a mouthful of ripe fruit. 2014 was a great, highly underrated vintage across Bordeaux, but especially in St. Estephe and Pauillac. We got this wine for a crazy price, low $20s I think. I’m dismayed that I only have four bottles left, which I’ll drink over the next decade-plus. A stunning wine. Rating: 95 points.

[JCNorthway]

I purchased 3 bottles of the 2014 Meyney as part of mixed case of 2014's - thanks to BWE enablement. I've drunk one so far and thought it was excellent. So I'm not surprised with your experience.

[JimHow]

I gave Calon Segur 100 points in 2014, I think St. Estephe is very strong in this vintage.

[JimHow]

Some place called Pyramid Wines in Las Vegas says it is selling 2014 Meyney for $13.99.
Unfortunately, they don't ship to the Great State of Maine.
MichaelP, I urge you to go there and buy like the wind!

https://www.pyramidfinewine.com/cart

[Comte Flaneur]

I would be really curious to try one of these, and also the 2016.

While these new fangled Meyneys are generally well reviewed, a significant minority have grumbled that the estate has gone over to the dark side with an inclination to soup up the wines, with the controversial owner of Ch Angélus, Hubert de Boüard, as a consultant.

I would like to try some for myself, and draw my own conclusions.

[JimHow]

It’s a pretty rich and dense wine for sure, but I didn’t find it offensively so. It’s a steak wine, something you would uncork at a testosterone filled Wall Street steakhouse. I like the 2019 and 2020 Meyneys as well but I think I give the nod to the 2014. These are very richly colored wines. This property is near Montrose, I believe?

[Nicklasss]

I liked the 2014 Meyney the two times i had it. Was very positive the first time i had it, still ok the second time i had it, but it is surely under de Bouard influence.

By the way, last weak i tried two 2014 that left me cold: Haut Batailley almost did not had any nose, and in mouth a bit better but some strong green tones (« à la «  2000 Pichon Lalande) too present for my taste. The 2016 is minimum 3 times better. Malartic Lagravière had a nice fruity polished nose, but the mouth is ok to start, but ends up with wood strong dry tannins.

[Comte Flaneur]

It’s a pretty rich and dense wine for sure, but I didn’t find it offensively so. It’s a steak wine, something you would uncork at a testosterone filled Wall Street steakhouse. I like the 2019 and 2020 Meyneys as well but I think I give the nod to the 2014. These are very richly colored wines. This property is near Montrose, I believe?

Yes right next door, but despite the proximity the soil is far from identical from what I read

I have drunk some fabulous Meyneys from the 80s - not far behind its fellow Cordier stablemates Gruaud and Talbot - but I am really fascinated to try the new version.

[Claret]

Some place called Pyramid Wines in Las Vegas says it is selling 2014 Meyney for $13.99.
Unfortunately, they don't ship to the Great State of Maine.
MichaelP, I urge you to go there and buy like the wind!

https://www.pyramidfinewine.com/cart

This store in in Sparks, NV, close to Reno. I went there and they do not have the wine.

[JimHow]

If it's too good to be true....

[Gerry M.]

I've loved this wine each time. Blown thru 10 bottles and only 6 left. It was a steal at $28/btl

[Nicklasss]

Dinner at JeanFred’s place last night. Big crowd so we had 2 bottles of the 2002 Meyney and what to say? This 2002 Meyney is in the right spot to drink, and is a very nice little treasure : blackcurrant, blue fruit, old leather, and lot of soil tones. Incredibly classical, Saint Estèphe terroir driven, superb slightly austere mouth, medium density, long and perfumed. Another excellent performance from a 2002. TN: 93.

[JimHow]

Oh man 2002 was a beautiful, classic, classic, classic vintage in St. Estephe.

[Comte Flaneur]

I sourced a bottle of this wine this week. I was fascinated to try it because I had read polarised reviews.

I opened it tonight after standing it up for a day, then double decanted it.

Initial impressions are not favourable. It is horribly over extracted. It has bitter acerbic tannins and a drying finish. It does, however, settle down, but you still get an unpleasant raw oak on the nose, an acerbic palate and finish. I opened a half bottle of Haut-Bailly 04 as a back ground comparison, a wine I have found difficult and struggled with over the years because of its glacial evolution.

But it is chalk and cheese. The 2004 Haut Bailly does not cross the line. It is beautifully harmonious and balanced in comparison to the discombobulated 2014 Meyney.

Drinking the Meyney is hard work. Btw this wine is not faulty. I have drunk two glasses and will revisit tomorrow.

Maybe it just needs a lot more air, but first impressions are unfavourable. It is forced and contrived. My initial impression is that it is not what Bordeaux is about. But I will give it 24 hours. You never know. I could be horribly wrong.

Preliminary score 80-85 points…for me that is undrinkable

[JimHow]

Thanks for the report, Comte, I can see how it might not be everyone's cup of tea. It's, um, rich. It definitely needed to be matched up with a nice fatty steak. I really liked it, I thought it kept blossoming in the glass. I'd be curious what you thought of the 2014 Calon Segur, which is likewise a delightful beast.

[Comte Flaneur]

Yes I think Jim the best utility for this wine would be to open it 1-2 days in advance and imbibe it with a large hunk of rare porterhouse steak.

Day two, it has softened a bit around the edges; it is less unpleasant. But it is still unpleasant to drink. It still suffers from the same shortcomings: over extraction and over oaking which leave a nasty bitter aftertaste on the palate. It my opinion it is a meh wine.

It is 14% abv according to U.K. merchant Lay & Wheeler - that bit of the label was torn off - how can a wine be 14% abv in a cool, non-solar vintage?

But I am the one out on a limb here. Nicolas, who has a superb palate agrees with your assessment of this wine Jim. And so does Neal Martin, Jane Anson and Jeff Leve.

[RPCV]

2014 Meyney, Calon, Tronquoy and Montrose have all been consumed chez moi and they are excellent. Perhaps an off bottle?

[Comte Flaneur]

2014 Meyney, Calon, Tronquoy and Montrose have all been consumed chez moi and they are excellent. Perhaps an off bottle?

RP the wine was not faulty in the technical sense - although the label was tatty because it had been in a damp cellar - it was not corked, oxidised, heat damaged or in any other technical way faulty.

I have sourced a 2016 to drink from half bottle. I hope it gives me reason for thinking that the 2014 is an aberration because the 2016 vintage did not need souping up, but I am not hopeful.

[JimHow]

I think it is a style issue Comte. If you do not like the 2014 I don't think you are going to like the 2019 and 2020 Meyneys.