Driven by exacting standards and a passion for sharing his knowledge, Head Sommelier Matthias Meynard was trained at the Hôtel de Crillon, and has presided over wine lists at Le Meurice and Lasserre. He shares his views on selecting and serving wines, grands vins, and of course, Cos d’Estournel.
I come from an Italian background, and Sunday lunch was very important in our family. There were always many people around the table, and the delicious food we ate was accompanied by excellent wines. The first wines that I fell in love with were from the Piedmont region. At seventeen, I was already deeply attached to the good things in life, including good food and fine wines. But I wanted to go further, so as to understand all the work necessary to reaching such results. I was fortunate enough to encounter several individuals who encouraged me to satisfy this curiosity, including Jean-Luc Frusseta, who pushed me to pursue sommelier training at the Lycée Albert de Mun; Frank Ramage, who taught me the profession; David Biraud, who guided me through my first position at the Hôtel de Crillon’s restaurant Les Ambassadeurs; and Antoine Petrus, another mentor. Each and every one nourished my passion for wines and the sommelier profession.
I recall tasting a fabulous Cos d’Estournel 1990 with my brother, who was born in 1990, some fifteen years ago. It was an incredible vintage; it was just beginning to open up and reveal its remarkable nature. I was seduced by its elegance as well as the incredible depth of its aromatic palette, with its notes of spices and cacao. It was an expression of serenity, and counts among the most memorable wines I tasted at that time of my life.
To begin with, Cos d’Estournel is not a typical Bordeaux estate. It is truly unique, an incredible site, with Asian influences that have been passed down since the journeys and adventures of Louis Gaspard d’Estournel. Take its fabulous, imposing Door of Zanzibar, for example. And then there are the wines of the estate: they are powerful, structured and generous. Cos d’Estournel is an immensely pleasurable wine. Wait a few instants after opening a bottle of Cos d’Estournel and pouring a glass, and you will be rewarded with an incredible bouquet of aromas and exceptional elegance on the palate. Cos d’Estournel does not have that conceptual element that is sometimes found in other great wines; it is a wine to be shared in good company. You can be sure it will be appreciated. It also amuses me to see how the wines of Cos d’Estournel at times evoke the identity of the estate, with a nose of ground black pepper, Sichuan pepper and spices reminiscent of the Spice Routes, a lovely tribute paid by a wine to its creator!
There are several. Like Saint-Estèphe, Tokaj is a legendary appellation. It is known for its sweet and dry white wines. The older vintages of Tokaj are marvelous with Peking duck, even if the association may be a bit daring. The wines of Cos d’Estournel and Tokaj-Hétszőlő both have exceptional cellaring potential, which is something I am always looking for. I am drawn to wines that can outlive a man, wines that we can pass down to our children or grandchildren, for whom they will evoke memories and emotions upon tasting. It is truly the great wines that allow for such journeys, be they introspective, through time, or across generations. Finally, when we talk about the passion for the exotic that characterizes Cos d’Estournel, Tokaj seems almost a logical stop along the Spice Routes. How wonderful for Michel Reybier to seek to perpetuate and sublimate these magical terroirs, for they are not without recalling certain aspects of the identity of Cos d’Estournel!
What they have in common is precision. Precision is the sine qua non of excellence. Michel Reybier is a man who invests himself fully in all that he undertakes; he demands a great deal of himself and his teams. He is also a genuine wine-lover. The works he has pursued at Cos d’Estournel since 2000 is proof of his passion. Designated a second-growth cru classé in 1855, Cos d’Estournel has an exceptional history, but its teams are always ready to challenge and reassess the status quo. I am lucky in that I often encounter Michel Reybier, and when he suggested working more closely together, I was delighted to be immersed in his universe. My next dinner will be at La Réserve, where his level of exigency is just as perceptible, and which I believe will be the next restaurant in Paris to receive its third Michelin star.
