Chateau Meyney 2017, Saint-Estephe, Bordeaux, France

Château Meyney was one of the first sites in the Médoc to be planted with vines. In 1662, it was a convent mentioned in records under the names Couvent des Feuillants or Prieure des Couleys. It belonged to the Feuillants monks. Today, the estate stretches over some of the best hilltops above the Gironde Estuary. The river lying alongside the first rows of vines makes for a majestic, serene landscape. The estate belonged to the Luetkens family for several generations, and was then acquired by Mr Désiré Cordier in 1919. In 2004, CA Grands Crus, a subsidiary of the Groupe Crédit Agricole, acquired Château Meyney, with a determination to strengthen the potential of this outstanding cru. The Chateau Meyney vineyard is planted on perfectly drained siliceous gravel terroir, ideal conditions for the maturity of the grapes. The blend is made up of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and supplemented by 10% to 20% Petit Verdot depending on the vintage, from mass selection vines. These very old vines planted in the 1950s give the wine a very deep black color, spicy notes and a racy style. The castle teams watch over this rare and historic genetic heritage of the property. Grapes are sorted twice, first in the vineyard and again in the winery, and then fermented in vats. Larger vats have been replaced with a range of smaller sizes to enable more individual plots to be vinified separately. The grand vin is aged for 15 months in 30% new French oak barrels.