Domaine Mérieau, 2020 Update
Jean-François Mérieau is the fourth generation to hoe the soil, prune the canes and pick the fruit from his family’s vines along and around the banks of the Cher. Despite this I confess it is only two or three years since I first met him and had my inaugural taste of his wines. And they were very good wines too; solid and smoky Sauvignon Blanc (arguably Menu Pineau and Romorantin are the ‘real’ Cher and Sologne white varieties, but most domaines still major on Sauvignon Blanc). And a strong presence of Côt (now that’s more like it) on the red side, both blended with Cabernet Franc and in isolation. It was a portfolio that oozed Ligérian class.
So much so that I was delighted to be able to revisit the wines of Jean-François, with the man himself, earlier last year. Soon afterwards I typed up my notes, but then omitted to add the report to my schedule of updates. This is despite the fact that the wines were good enough to prompt me to go out and buy several bottles of the 2018 Cent Visages for my own cellar. My only excuse is that my brain can sometimes resemble the proverbial sieve. Here then, slightly delayed, are my recently rediscovered opinions on a selection of wines from the 2019 and 2018 vintages chez Mérieau.
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