A special day for an extraordinary wine personality
A year ago, we celebrated the 100th birthday of May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, better known as Lady May. Now, her extraordinary wine journey has written another chapter in Switzerland.
On June 13, 2026, Lady May was the focus of the Summer Chapter of the Commanderie de Bordeaux Suisse Romande at the Hôtel des Trois Couronnes in Vevey. Together with her grandson Maxime Bureau, she met wine lovers who appreciate not only great wines but also the stories behind them.
The evening connected two worlds that could hardly be more closely linked: Pauillac in Bordeaux and Stellenbosch in South Africa.
What is the Commanderie de Bordeaux Suisse Romande?
The Commanderie de Bordeaux Suisse Romande is a traditional Western Swiss association for Bordeaux wine culture. The focus is on special tastings, culinary encounters and discussions about great wines from Bordeaux.
The so-called Chapters are festive gatherings where wine, history and hospitality come together. The fact that Lady May was welcomed there as a guest of honor therefore fits perfectly. Her life path uniquely connects Bordeaux and South Africa.
From Pichon Comtesse to Glenelly
For decades, May-Eliane de Lencquesaing shaped Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in Pauillac. With her clear vision and uncompromising quality standards, she made the Château one of the great addresses on Bordeaux's Left Bank. But her story did not end in France. In 2003, at the age of 78, she embarked on a new adventure in South Africa and took over Glenelly Estate in Stellenbosch. There, she didn't just want to copy Bordeaux, but to combine French experience with the special character of South African soils, light conditions and vines.
Thus Glenelly was born. A winery with a Bordeaux soul and clear South African origins.
An evening between memory and future
In Vevey, this connection was felt in a particularly beautiful way. Matured wines from Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande met Glenelly wines from Stellenbosch. Among others, a Glenelly Reserve Chardonnay, Lady May 2019 and a Glenelly Estate Reserve were on the program.
It was not an ordinary tasting, but a journey through several decades of winemaking history. From the great classics of Pauillac to the characterful wines from Simonsberg, it showed how much attitude, patience and personality can be found in a great wine.
Lady May: The heart of Glenelly
The Lady May is Glenelly's flagship wine and is not coincidentally named after its founder. The Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated Bordeaux blend stands for precision, elegance, structure and aging potential.
It combines the classic Bordeaux style with the power and freshness of Stellenbosch. Dark berries, cassis, fine spice, cedar wood and a tightly woven tannin structure characterize its style. A wine that doesn't aim for quick impact, but opens up more and more with time. This is exactly what makes it a fitting tribute to Lady May. Clear in attitude, demanding in execution and made for special moments.
To the Lady May turns 100 article
Glenelly as a legacy with a future
Today, Glenelly stands for a wine philosophy that combines origin and precision. The wines are shaped by the South African terroir, but at the same time carry the elegant structure that Lady May brought from Bordeaux. The evening in Vevey showed that Glenelly has long since found its own place in the world of great wines. Not as an imitation of Bordeaux, but as an independent voice from Stellenbosch.
Lady May remains far more than a name on the label. She stands for courage, curiosity and the conviction that even with great experience, one can always break new ground.
A story that continues
The reception at the Commanderie de Bordeaux Suisse Romande was therefore more than a tribute to a great personality. It was a sign that wine can connect people, regions and generations.
From Pauillac to Stellenbosch, from France to South Africa and now back to Switzerland. The story of Lady May and Glenelly shows how a clear vision can lead to a winery with international appeal.
