The lady who bottled a Century: May de Lencquesaing at 100

By Admin | 13th May 2025

At 100 years old, May de Lencquesaing is more than a winemaking icon, she is a force of nature. As she celebrates a century of life, legacy, and reinvention, we explore how this fearless pioneer continues to inspire, proving that passion never ages.

A Grand Dame, Uncorked

The rolling vineyards of Bordeaux whisper stories of tradition, of centuries-old legacies passed down through noble hands. Among them stands one name, May de Lencquesaing. She didn’t just come from a winemaking dynasty; she redefined it.

Taking the reins of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in the 1970s, she transformed it into one of Bordeaux’s most sought-after estates. A woman in a male-dominated world, she commanded respect, not with demands, but with excellence. Her wines spoke for her, their elegance and precision echoing the strength of the woman behind them.

Yet, at an age when most would be reminiscing over past vintages, May was already plotting the next harvest, the next adventure, the next chapter.

A New World, A New Legacy

Many would consider an 80-year-old setting off to establish a winery in South Africa a bold, even audacious move. For May, it was simply the next step.

“I saw something special in Stellenbosch,” she once said. “A land full of promise, waiting to tell its own story in wine.”

She purchased Glenelly Estate, a historic fruit farm nestled on the slopes of the Simonsberg, and transformed it into a beacon of French winemaking tradition with a South African soul. Under her watchful eye, Glenelly’s wines came to embody balance, complexity, and a profound sense of place, a reflection of her belief in patience, potential, and the power of reinvention.

But it wasn’t just about the wine. It was about the people, the young winemakers she mentored, the community she became a part of, the industry she helped elevate. Even now, at 100, her spirit lingers in the vineyards and in every barrel quietly aging in Glenelly’s subterranean cellars.

Beyond the Bottle: A Life of Art and Beauty

May’s appreciation for refinement extends far beyond the grapevine. Walk through the Glenelly Glass Museum, and you’ll encounter her extraordinary collection of glass art, delicate yet enduring, much like the woman herself. Each piece tells a story of craftsmanship, resilience, and history, themes that echo her own path through the decades.

And while she has earned no shortage of honours, including the Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest distinction, she speaks more often of vintages and varietals than of accolades.

“It’s never about what you achieve,” she reflects. “It’s about what you leave behind.”

A Century, Stirred and Sipped

Was it the sun-ripened indulgence of pêches au vin (peaches in wine), savoured during summer’s warmth, or the sugar water faintly tinted with Bordeaux that passed as juice? Perhaps it was the near absence of butter and dairy, the plates brimming with seasonal vegetables, or the ritual embrace of soup in her later years. Her relationship with nourishment mirrored her winemaking ethos: thoughtful, restrained, instinctively wise.

We can only guess whether these habits helped carry her to a hundred, but they speak volumes about her: grounded in tradition, attuned to nature, and guided by a graceful discipline that has touched every aspect of her life.

A Century of Fearless Reinvention

As May de Lencquesaing steps into her 100th year, she does so with the same elegance, wisdom, and quiet tenacity that have defined her life. She is a reminder that reinvention knows no age, that passion does not fade, and that true legacy is not measured in years but in impact.

Her wines will live on. Her influence will endure. And as the world raises a glass in her honour, one thing is certain, her story is far from over.