Tasting Notes for Chateau de Pez 2004

Red Wines	Bordeaux Red Blends	St. Estephe	France - Bordeaux

My Rating (circle) :

Date Printed: 6/17/2013

Chateau de Pez 2004

(search item no. 89606)
Wine Enthusiast rating: 91 points
PRICE ON 6/17/2013: $32.99

ratings pedigree (past vintages):
2011 Wine Enthusiast rating: 94 points
2011 Wine Spectator rating: 92 points
2011 James Suckling rating: 91 points
2010 Wine Spectator rating: 94 points
2010 Wine Enthusiast rating: 92 points
2010 James Suckling rating: 91 points
2009 Wine Enthusiast rating: 93 points
2008 The Wine Advocate rating: 89 points
2008 Wine Enthusiast rating: 89 points
2007 The Wine Advocate rating: 89 points
2006 Wine Enthusiast rating: 91 points
2006 Wine & Spirits rating: 90 points
2005 Wine Spectator rating: 88 points
2003 Wine Enthusiast rating: 92 points
2003 Wine & Spirits rating: 92 points
2003 Wine Spectator rating: 91 points
2000 Wine Spectator rating: 91 points
1997 Wine Enthusiast rating: 87 points
1996 Wine Enthusiast rating: 90 points

Winemaker's Notes:

Blend: 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot

The 2004 vintage is a lovely, solid color with dark red, almost purplish-blue highlights. The nose is packed with rich, complex, slightly jammy fruit, plus aromas of roasting and mocha from maturation in wood. It is very fresh, with floral, spicy notes. On the palate, the wine is a crisp, fleshy attack, followed by mouth-filling but not overly hard tannins. The wine grows richer and fatter by the moment but with no loss of elegance.

This handsome wine will mature to perfection. There is an aging potential here that will more than reward a few years' cellaring.

"Dark, dry tannins are what good Saint-Estèphe is all about when young, and de Pez doesn't disappoint. But it does more, with refined black plum skin flavors, a rich mix of spices and mint, and a refreshing streak of acidity. In 4–5 years, this will be an outstanding wine."
-Wine Enthusiast

My Notes:

Additional wines from Château de Pez:

2008 (search item no. 109869)
2010 (search item no. 121445)

About Château de Pez:

Created in the 15th century, Château de Pez is the oldest domaine in Saint Estèphe. The Pontac family, who also created Haut-Brion, gave Pez its vineyards. The domaine was sold as a property of the state after the French Revolution and owned by a succession of families before it was purchased by Champagne Louis Roederer in 1995.

Château de Pez is located west of the town of Saint-Estèphe. The estate consists of 74 contiguous acres, with 54 acres under vine. The vineyard is situated on a high plateau with well-exposed slopes. From a summit of 59 ft. the land descends northward to 39 ft.

Château de Pez remains resolutely faithful to wood. The blend is composed in December and the wine is stored in barrels where it is racked every three months. After approximately one year, roughly midway through the maturation process, the wine is fined using fresh egg whites. The wine is matured in small oak casks with 40% new oak, 30% "Premier vin", 30% "Deuxième vin". It should be noted that the wine undergoes absolutely no filtration.