Tasting

Discovered by Vineyards Alain Meyre, a family in the service of the wine

Passing through Paris to introduce their firsts 2008, Vineyards Alain Meyre made nice impression; constant and structured, elegant wines.

Three Castles, two appellations
Vineyards Alain Meyre, it is three Castles which stretch over a 50 hectare area in appellation Listrac-Médoc and Haut-Médoc and products 240 000 collars a year. The encépagement, pushed by the argilo-calcareous soil of the region, is mainly constituted of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and baby Verdot. All wines, worked struggling reasoned respecting environment, are then raised there fûts of oak during 12 months followed by the traditional collage in the egg white. Tous les vins, travaillés en lutte raisonnée dans le respect de l’environnement, sont ensuite élevés en fûts de chêne pendant 12 mois suivi du traditionnel collage au blanc d’oeuf.

Castle Cap Léon Veyrin - Listrac Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, 15 hectares, 70 000 collars
The Castle Cap Léon Veyrin, property of the same family since 1810 has as origin the meeting of the Castle Cape Léon and of the Domain of Veyrin. Since this time, the property always exploited by the family Meyre, is run by Alain and Maryse Meyre today. Their children, Julian and Nathalie get ready to assure the permanence of family property Leurs enfants, Julien et Nathalie se préparent à assurer la pérennité de la propriété familiale

Julian Castle - Listrac Cru Bourgeois, 20 hectares, 100 000 collars
The Julian Castle is located on the gravelly lands which make the reputation of wines of Haut-Médoc. Meyre works of concert with Castles Beaumont and Beychevelle to practice reasoned struggle. The assemblage of Merlot, of some Cabernet Sauvignon and of the baby Verdot gives balanced and very aromatic wines. On place, the amateurs will be able to use a Bar to Wines to savour wines of property and to make their purchases. L’assemblage du Merlot, du Cabernet Sauvignon et du Petit Verdot donne des vins équilibrés et très aromatiques. Sur place, les amateurs pourront profiter d’un Bar à Vins pour déguster les vins de la propriété et faire leurs achats.

Castle Bibian - High Médoc Cru Bourgeois, 15 hectares, 70 000 collars
This property was bought back in 1999 to the footballer Jean Tigana who undoubtedly bad winegrower. It is one of the most ancient vineyards of Listrac in the past called the 1st Vineyard of Pierre Bibian, middle-class person superior. Located on the roof of Médoc, the vineyard spread enough allows to be present on the diversity of lands of the appellation. A great majority of old grapevines (between 40 and 70 years) give a Castle Bibian typical of wines of Listrac. Situé sur le toit du Médoc, le vignoble assez étendu permet d’être présent sur la diversité de terroirs de l’appellation. Une grande majorité de vieilles vignes (entre 40 et 70 ans) donnent un Château Bibian typique des vins de Listrac.

Meyre, a family loving some wine
History begins in 1810 and goes on with Nathalie's arrival and Julian, children of Alain and of Maryse Meyre, possessing three Vineyards today.
Alain, the patriarch, runs operations. From now on President of the wine labour union of AOC LISTRAC-MÉDOC and president de l' OCG Médoc, Haut-Médoc and Listrac-Médoc, he lets progressively his son take the queens of farms, of grapevine. Strong in one LOW VOLTAGES Viticulture-oenology, Julian is backed up by his sister who takes care of wine production. Multi-graduate - business school, 3rd cycle of management and University of Eonologie de Bordeaux-having made his weapon to Kendall-Jackson in California and Hardy in Australia, it is very naturally that Nathalie plays charming ambassador for the Vineyards of the family. Finally, Maryse, the mother, broadcasts the infectious energy to all troops and even if she wishes “rising the foot”, she always takes care of the sales and marketing person and the administrative. To each its post! Fort d’un BTS Viticulture-Oenologie, Julien est épaulé par sa soeur qui s’occupe de la vinification. Multi-diplômée -école de commerce, 3ème cycle de gestion et Université d’Eonologie de Bordeaux- ayant fait ses armes chez Kendall-Jackson en Californie et Hardy en Australie, c’est tout naturellement que Nathalie joue les ambassadrice de charme pour les Vignobles de la famille. Enfin, Maryse, la mère, diffuse son énergie contagieuse à toute la troupe et même si elle souhaite “lever le pied”, elle s’occupe toujours du commercial et de l’administratif. A chacun son poste !

Gustatory discovery, between constancy and elegance
Appointment was given to Bascou, small Basque bistro between Republic and Covered market to Paris where the leader Bertrand Guéneron officiates. Meeting with the family Meyre and tastings of several vintages.

Firsts - Castles Cap Léon Veyrin and Bibian 2008: Nice dresses, red fruits in the nose, thick and soft in mouth. Some years of guard are necessary to use these two wines entirely to already very promising structure. Quelques années de garde sont nécessaires pour profiter pleinement de ces deux vins à la structure déjà très prometteuse.
Castle Bibian on 2007: Bright black Dress, complex nose on blackberries and seasoned black cherries, an ample, fruity mouth, wine already well evolved in spite of its youth with a very good potential.
Julian Castle on 2006: Circle, attacks frank and nice concentration of tannins, more linear than two other savoured vineyards but nevertheless flexible.
Castle Cap Léon Veyrin 2005: Spacious Nose on the grapes and the blackcurrant, powerful with fine and gripped tannins, vintage dedicated to express itself more by getting old.
Castle Bibian on 2005: Crimson Dress, intense nose on the red fruits and of liquorice, mouth powerful and balanced with dense tannins and nice persistence in finale.
Castle Bibian on 2003: Crimson Dress; nose on the cherry added pepper and the ripe fruits, a mouth with silky tannins and a slightly seasoned final. nez sur la cerise poivrée et les fruits mûrs, une bouche avec des tannins soyeux et une finale légèrement épicée.
Castles Cap Léon Veyrin 2000: Superb silky red, notes of red fruits and flower in the nose, fleshy blocks it, structured with aromatic tannins. Character and volume. Caractère et volume.
Castles Cap Léon Veyrin 1970: Undoubtedly the most harmonious of this vertical. Structured and balanced on candied fruits, he shows brilliantly the future evolution of younger vintages. Structuré et équilibré sur des fruits confits, il montre avec brio l’évolution future des millésimes plus jeunes.

A constant tasting in quality! Wines of Vineyards Alain Meyre are structured, fleshy and express their stocks even more by getting old. “To savour the Cap Léon Veyrin 1970, nothing better that one southwest woodcock”. Maryse Meyre had not lied! “Pour déguster le Cap Léon Veyrin 1970, rien de mieux qu’une bécasse du Sud-Ouest”. Maryse Meyre n’avait pas menti !

Sebastian Foulard
Vodka&Co.
Credit photo tags: Pierre's Collection