Paris, 14 February 2023: iDealwine, a global leader in fine wine auction sales, will offer a collection of Méo-Camuzet bottles directly from the family’s cellar, a historical first for both iDealwine and Méo-Camuzet. The unprecedented nature of the auction underlines the trusting relationship that iDealwine shares with its partner winemakers. The collection of lots being offered carries an estimated value of over €100,000 and an average estimated bottle price of over €1,000. Coming from a very well-regarded producer in Burgundy’s Cote de Nuits, this estate-owned collection of Méo-Camuzet features valuable Grand Crus Richebourg and Echezeaux, as well as Premier Cru Vosne-Romanée Au Cros-Parantoux and Nuit-Saint-Georges.
The influence of a local legend
In the early days of his career, Jean-Nicolas Méo had the rare opportunity to learn from legendary winemaker Henri Jayer, who produced wine on an adjacent plot of land in Cros-Parantoux under both his own name and as a tenant farmer for the Méo family. Their neighbourly friendship blossomed into a priceless mentorship for Jean-Nicolas, whose style of winemaking would no doubt be influenced by the wisdom and experience of the elder Jayer. Some of Jayer’s notable influences include the use of cold pre-fermentation maceration and the practice of fully destemming the grapes beforehand. However, while Jayer’s influence indeed forms a part of the winemaking philosophy of Jean-Nicolas, the latter’s individual successes cannot be understated. Having seamlessly weaved his own style into that of Jayer’s, Jean-Nicolas has developed a unique winemaking identity which has proven itself more-than-worthy of the bottles that bare his family’s name.
Unprecedented in the history of iDealwine
This auction will represent the very first time that a producer from Burgundy has offered their own collection at auction on the iDealwine website. A historical moment for the Méo family as well, this will also be the first time they have placed their own collection up for auction online. Having remained in the care of the winemakers themselves, bidders can rest assured that these bottles have been securely stored and appropriately aged since the very day they were produced.
A closer look at the vintages – summarized comments from Jean-Nicolas Méo
2005: Richebourg and Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Les Chaumes
- The 2005 vintage had brilliantly sunny conditions. The wines are concentrated but not too rich and they contain a good level of acidity. They are still a little tight, but they are beginning to reveal their elegance. This is a great vintage for aging, and it is far from the end of its journey.
2009: Nuits Saint Georges Premier Cru Les Boudots (in magnum) and Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Aux Brulées
- 2009 was another great year, producing wines that express the typical characteristics of a warm vintage that has since evolved to gain more balanced.
2010: Richebourg, Corton Grand Cru Les Perrières, Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Aux Brulées, and Echezeaux
- 2010 is a vintage with a very good reputation, sharing similarities with that of 2005, though perhaps displaying more finesse and a little less concentration.
2011: Corton Grand Cru Clos Rognet, Nuits Saint Georges Premier Cru Les Boudots, Nuits Saint Georges Premier Cru Les Murgers, and Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Au Cros-Parantoux
- This is a vintage that can be enjoyed from 2-3 years after bottling. It is a less homogenous vintage than that of 2010 or 2012, but it still gives us some pleasant wines with beautiful texture and balance. This vintage should not be neglected simply due to its “ready to drink” status.
2012: Clos de Vougeot (magnum), Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Au Cros-Parantoux (Magnum), and Echezeaux
- 2012 was a high-quality vintage even if it was not praised by critics for its true value. This is a year which produced ripe wines without excessively high alcohol content. Therefore, the wines are concentrated but not overwhelming, displaying great finesse.
2013: Richebourg and Echezeaux
- This was a vintage deemed difficult, for it was cold and late-ripening. Therefore, it has retained a lot of the freshness and brilliance of the fruit. The vintage is guided by beautiful acidity, freshness of the fruit and a surprising softness.
2014: Richebourg, Nuits Saint Georges Premier Cru Les Murgers, Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Aux Brulées, and Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Au Cros-Parantoux
- A true vintage of balance, driven by its finesse and harmonious levels of maturity, acidity and tannin. However, these wines are not yet in their optimal tasting window and should be cellared for at least 2-3 more years.
2015: Richebourg and Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Aux Brulées
- 2015 strikes the balance between concentration and tension as a warmer year which does not lack acidity. While some of these bottles could be enjoyed today, the Aux Brulées and Echezeaux should be aged for at least five more years.
2016: Richebourg, Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Aux Brulées, Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Au Cros-Parantoux, and Echezeaux
- This is a vintage with beautiful chemistry that has a pleasant and joyful side to balance its riper profile. 2016 is pleasant to drink in its youth, however, it would certainly benefit from further aging as well.
The underestimated climates according to Jean-Nicolas Méo
In our interview with Jean-Nicolas we discussed whether he believed some climates to be underrated within the collection. He singled out four climates in particular: Aux Boudots (Nuits Saint Georges), Aux Murgers (Nuits Saint Georges), Corton Les Perrières (Corton) and Corton Clos Rognet (Corton).
Regarding Premier Crus Aux Boudots and Aux Murgers, Jean-Nicolas believes them to be magnificent terroirs producing wines that are great for aging. The Premier Cru Aux Boudots produces wines whose delicate charm approaches the expressions of Vosne-Romanée, while Premier Cru Aux Murgers packs a little more acidity and aging potential. The Aux Murgers are also powerfully aromatic, exuding a wild side balanced by their captivating freshness.
Corton is another appellation which Jean-Nicolas believes to be a little underestimated. Corton Les Perrières is a great terroir with plenty of minerality whose stony soil brings added finesse to temper its otherwise powerful and tannic structure. These wines require quite a bit of aging, with the 2010 presented in this auction still needing a little more time. There is also the Corton Clos Rognet, which exudes natural opulence and comes from very old vines. These wines are smooth and charming with controlled acidity, and yet they still age very well. For the most patient collectors, they hold pleasant surprises which are only revealed with time.
This auction will be available online at www.idealwine.com from 17 February until 1 March, 2023. To take part, registration on iDealwine is necessary. The sale is overseen by IWA, a certified auction operator and subsidiary of iDealwine.
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