Cellar Favorite: 1924, 1929 & 1955 Meyney

BY NEAL MARTIN | AUGUST 18, 2025

Last primeur, which already seems like ages ago, Château Meyney organised a fascinating lunch recreating a historic dinner served in 1928 during the Fête du Vin et du Pin that featured this Saint-Estèphe estate. The wines poured almost a century later would not be identical, but 1924 Meyney was promised inter alia. Likewise, the menu would be inspired by dishes served in the 1920s.

In fact, three vintages of Meyney older than any I had encountered previously were poured blind. Désiré Cordier acquired the estate in 1919 from the Luetkens family, one year after his purchase of Château Talbot. Labels namecheck the monastic order known as the Feuillants, who had incepted viticulture circa 1660—Prieuré de Couleys. This tasting was a casual and light-hearted event with serious bottles, with proceedings overseen by current winemaker Anne Le Naour.

The 1924 Meyney came from a surviving magnum, recorked in 1994. Fragrant on the nose, it still offers Morello cherries, iodine and a light touch of menthol, well defined and doffing its hat to Burgundy. The palate is marked by higher acidity than expected, a little tart. Admittedly, there is not immense concentration nor density, then again, this is a 100-year-old wine that has unequivocally retained balance. As old claret is wont to do, the 1924 gains presence with aeration. Delectable notes of cranberry intermix with cedar and Chinese five-spice towards the finish. This is another delicious 1924 claret whose longevity was likely enhanced by the magnum format and perfect provenance. 91/Drink 2025-2033.

From a more renowned vintage than 1924, the 1929 Meyney was poured from a standard bottle. Light, quite airy red fruit unfurls on the nose and commingles with subtle Italian delicatessen and leather, hints of smoke emerging with time. This suggests a little more Merlot than the 1924, but there are no existing records to verify. The palate is medium-bodied with lively red fruit, slightly crunchy in terms of texture, with a dash of spice. The 1929 is strict, perhaps a tad more timeworn than the 1924 and shorter on the finish, yet it still offers pleasure and, again, meliorates in the glass. 89/Drink 2025-2030.

The 1955 Meyney was also served from a standard bottle. It shows a little more bricking on the rim and exhibits lighter fruit than the ’24 or ’29, hints of tomato vine infusing the light red fruit. The palate is framed by light, slightly rigid tannins, bitter red cherries and graphite, concluding with a finish that attenuates a little. I am an ardent fan of the 1955 vintage, though juxtaposed against older vintages, I preferred the pair of Meyney wines hailing from the twenties. 88/Drink 2025-2030.

Other wines served included a magnum of 1926 Talbot as well as the 1957 and 1959 Rayne-Vigneau. Notes will be folded into a forthcoming tranche of mature Bordeaux reviews. One of those three was spectacular!

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