BORDEAUX, FRANCE. September 2nd, 2026 – Château Méaume marked a remarkable chapter in its history on 1st August 2026, bringing together sixty consecutive Bordeaux vintages from 1966 through to 2025 for an exceptional vertical tasting. The six-decade line-up is believed to be among the most extensive ever assembled by a privately owned Bordeaux estate.
Seventy guests attended the private six-hour tasting, travelling from France, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and the United States. The evening began at 6pm with an introduction to the estate, its history and the challenge ahead: tasting six decades of Bordeaux wine side by side.
Forty-nine of the vintages came directly from Château Méaume, spanning 1977 to 2025 and covering the period from the stewardship of Alan Johnson-Hill through to Mark and Sandra Johnson Hill. The earlier vintages, from 1966 to 1976, were represented by wines sourced from two neighbouring Saint-Émilion châteaux, creating an uninterrupted sequence across the sixty years.
Taken together, the wines provided a fascinating record of how this part of Bordeaux has evolved in response to changing weather patterns, vineyard replanting, developments in farming and shifts in winemaking techniques.
Among the vintages most favoured by guests were 2009, 2005, 1998 and 1989. The enthusiasm for 2009 and 2005 was unsurprising, with both recognised as exceptional Bordeaux years. The 1998 and 1989 vintages, however, emerged as two of the evening’s unexpected highlights.
The 1998, one of the strongest Right Bank vintages of its era, was frequently discussed and recommended by guests throughout the evening. The 1989 also performed impressively, showing the longevity and appeal that a well-made Bordeaux can retain more than thirty years after harvest. Bottles of 1998 and 1989, together with the 2009 and 2005, were among the first wines to be finished.
Several of the most highly regarded vintages, including 1982, 2005, 2009, 2010 and 2022, were served from magnums. The larger format allows wine to mature more slowly, helping these important vintages retain freshness while expressing their character.
The tasting also offered an unfiltered perspective on some of the less celebrated Bordeaux years. The wines from the 1970s were not finished and generally displayed their age more noticeably than those from the 1960s. Aside from the highly regarded 1970 vintage, the decade is not generally regarded as one of Bordeaux’s strongest, and the guests’ reactions reflected this.
Three participants took on the formidable challenge of tasting every wine poured during the evening. With no plans to spit, they committed themselves to drinking and appreciating the wines throughout the full six hours. By the time the tasting reached the most recent vintages, after such an extraordinary number of wines, their tasting notes had understandably become rather more concise.
Mark Johnson Hill, proprietor of Château Méaume, said: “The purpose of the tasting was to see the full story, including the great years, the difficult years and the surprises that appear only when wines are tasted together across such a long period of time.
“What stood out was how well some of the older wines performed. The 1998 and 1989, in particular, reminded everyone that a good Bordeaux can give enormous pleasure many years after it was made. It was also wonderful to welcome people from so many countries to share in a very special moment for Château Méaume.”
The tasting was professionally filmed and will become a permanent archive of sixty consecutive Bordeaux vintages, preserving an important part of the estate’s history for future generations.
The event followed Mark Johnson Hill’s sixtieth birthday. His connection with Château Méaume began almost fifty years ago through childhood visits to Bordeaux. The estate has remained in the same English family for more than five decades and continues to produce classically styled, Merlot-led Bordeaux wines.
ENDS
