Alexia Eymas of Chateau Maison Neuve
Four generations ago, Alexia Eymas' great grandmother started cultivating vines and after taking up the reins from her mother, Alexia has expanded the range from Chateau Maison Neuve, a fabulous producer in Blaye in Bordeaux.
We asked her to tell us about the half case of wines that changed her life.
Wine 1 - Etienne Sauzet Montrachet Grand Cru 2006
I had the good luck of discovering this wine during a meal in 2015 at my Parisian wine merchant. It accompanied us along every step of the journey of the entire meal, from asparagus to goat’s cheese, by way of white fish; every dish seemed to offer itself up in service of this nectar. Of course, it was served to me blind, with its name only revealed at the end of the meal.
With unmatched precision and purity, this wine revealed itself as fresh, rich, intense, and indulgent all at once. The vocabulary to describe it seemed so vast that we surrendered to simply admiring it. Of all the white wines that linger in my memory, this remains one of the finest I have ever had the privilege to taste.
Wine 2 - Jacques Selosse Extra Brut Champagne Grand Cru
A blind tasting dinner with friends from the industry during the Wine Paris 2024 exhibition where each guest introduced “their wine” to the others. You could hear the wine sparkle in my glass immediately. Voices fell silent, whispers too, giving way to astonishment: pleasure was written all over our faces. This became my most beautiful memory of a sparkling wine (which later turned out to be Champagne).
The first nose was marked by absolute richness, as if we were in the vineyards during harvest. On the palate, the first sip struck me as true and complex, the drink resembling a score from The Magic Flute. It had a presence, intense and voluptuous. This was a pleasure that did not end with the last sip; it remains present and anchored to my palate where I can still feel it sizzle.
An indescribable moment, a true encounter with a magical elixir.
Wine 3 - Chateau Haut Marbuzet 2007
Red wines have always been my sweet temptation, especially Cabernet Sauvignon. For my birthday in 2018, a friend who knew what I liked ordered a Haut-Marbuzet 2007 during a meal at a gourmet restaurant. The wine was served in a carafe, its colour a brilliant purple. When at last it found our noses (which is always my favourite moment), it truly felt like sitting by a fireplace whose embers are dying after long hours of burning, the scent of cool ash. I kept swirling my glass for long minutes in order to capture its full range.
On the palate, it was direct and elegant, blending beautiful ripe, crunchy red fruits with the refined aging of toasted barrels. Its intensity was palpable, making you want to freeze time in that moment.
Wine 4 - Domaine de la Solitude 2010
I have always loved Domaine de la Solitude’s wines, for their accessibility, consistency, reliability, and history. My uncle, a winegrower and knowledgeable enthusiast, introduced me to this estate when I began my first vinifications.
The 2010 vintage stirred me the most, with its intense purple colour and its rich nose of blackcurrant and Morello cherry blended with spices. Right away, it took me on a promising sensory journey. Its delicacy on the palate and long aromatic finish that pleasantly coated my mouth gave me a real sense of the first flavours of a wine of remarkable precision.
Wine 5 - Petra Vin de France Rouge 2019
This wine was gifted to me by the winemaker, Cécile Cazaux. I discovered it during an evening with friends who are passionate about wine. As soon as the glasses were poured, conversations stopped and time seemed to stand still. Our eyes were full of pleasure as we inhaled this nectar with its deep black colour. The first words came out like balloons being released into the air: “Hmm, promising…wild herbs, sage, spices, small black cherries, licorice…”
Unable to wait, we immediately took our first sip. The wine was so fine, so elegant, with every note perfectly in place as in a musical score. The finish was tender. This wine truly charmed us. Its blend of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Merlot grown on the stony soils of the Périgord Noir lived up to its name: “the fruit of red stones – Petra”.
Wine 6 - Chateau Haut-Bergeron Sauternes 2007
I tasted this wine in September 2025, which means it was 18 years old! This was especially meaningful as we were celebrating my daughter Clotilde’s 18th birthday. Three generations of women were gathered: my mother, my daughter, and myself. It was a perfect picture.
We immediately noticed its aromas of apricot skin and its notes of candied mandarin. On the palate, it was delicate, fine, and abundant. This great Sauternes stood on its own, majestic, graceful, and enjoyed among the three of us.
If you could share only one of these with three people, real or fictional, living or dead, which would it be, and who would they be?
If I had to share a bottle of wine with three people, it would undoubtedly be this one, the Château Haut-Bergeron 2007 Sauternes, shared with three generations of women: my late grandmother Lilia (a winemaker and great wine lover), my mother (a retired winemaker, very appreciative of fine wines), and my daughter Clotilde (18 years old, learning and very curious about wine).
You can purchase Alexia's wine here