Château Meyney: Luetkens and the Cordiers
The Feuillant monks lived a frugal life, for the order forewent dairy produce, seasoning and fish, among other things. Happily wine was a central part of their religious process and this makes the vineyards of Château Meyney some of the longest established in this region. This monastic occupation came to an abrupt finish with the Revolution towards the end of 18th century though, as the will of the new citizens of France ensured that the church lost out just as much as the nobility. The estate was seized as a bien national and thus entered private ownership.
The buildings and vineyards were acquired by the wine merchant Charles Luetkens (1744 – 1801), who already owned Château La Tour Carnet near St-Julien-Beychevelle, the Luetkens family having bought that estate prior to the fervour of the Revolution. This is perhaps one reason why Château Meyney did not fare well in the 1855 classification; Meyney was some way distant of Château La Tour Carnet, and thus farther from Bordeaux. Luetkens developed his Haut-Médoc estate, which was already blessed with an imposing stone château complete with Medieval tower, at the expense of his Saint-Estèphe outpost, where the facilities remained modest if not positively spartan. And of course, being situated so far away from Bordeaux, Meyney was already disadvantaged, the 1855 classification having been drawn up by merchants based in their quayside offices in the city. As it was, Château La Tour Carnet was ranked as a quatrième cru, whereas Château Meyney was nowhere to be seen.
