Winemaker Notes
The sustained color of the wine is highlighted with shades of crimson and orange suggesting the beginning of the wine's evolution. The nose is initially fruity but opens to lush ripe fruits mingled with aromas of toast and tobacco. The elegant palate is impressive but tight with dense and rich tannins, which is to be expected from such a hot vintage. The alcohol in the wine creates an impressive meatiness and leaves the palate with a soft sweetness. The powerful finish has a hint of acidity and promises to have excellent ageing in wood. This complete, rich and dense Bordeaux merits prolonged aging. Pairs well with pate or a nice hearty stew.
"Intense aromas of currants, spice and berries follow through to a full-bodied palate, with loads of fruit and a velvety finish. Lovely. Score range: 89-91"
-Wine Spectator Barrel Sample
The wine exhibits deep color and harmonious composition. This complete, rich and dense Bordeaux merits prolonged aging. Thanks to the quality of its production, Château de Pez is counted among the most highly reputed crus of the Médoc.
"...this keeps an impressive sense of balance with dense rather than superripe fruit, herbs, black currant jelly and delicious touches of new wood. Structred to age, with dry tannins and acidity. A great success."
-Wine Enthusiast 92 Points
"Exceptionnel An impressive performance by de Pez, this is a potent, cabernet-based wine, more formidable in this vintage than its classification would suggest. Underneath the oak, there's a cool forest-floor scent and concentrated fruit. It's fragrant and sophisticated, if not particularly fresh, with an elasticity to the tannins that gives it a lovely rounded shape. Probably best five to eight years from the vintage."
-Wine & Spirits 92 Points
Professional Ratings
Located in the north of the Saint-Estèphe appellation, Château de Pez is one of the oldest properties in the appellation. Founded in the 15th century, it belonged to various iconic families including the Pontac family, founders of Château Haut Brion. Its vineyard of 42ha consists principally of a single plateau divided into perfectly exposed hilltops around the Château. Since 1995, Pez has been the property of Champagne Louis Roederer; a major renovation program carried out both in the vineyard and in the winery has made it possible to introduce new techniques worthy of a Bordeaux Classified Growth.
Under the direction of Nicolas Glumineau, Managing Director of Pichon Comtesse, Château de Pez is now experiencing a true revival, offering a wine that is distinguished by its aromatic complexity, delicacy and perfectly balanced structure.
The wine is matured in oak barrels during 15 to 18 months with 50% new oak.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Deeply colored, concentrated, and distinctive, St. Estephe is the go-to for great, age-worthy and reliable Bordeaux reds. Separated from Pauillac merely by a stream, St. Estephe is the farthest northwest of the highest classed villages of the Haut Medoc and is therefore subject to the most intense maritime influence of the Atlantic.
St. Estephe soils are rich in gravel like all of the best sites of the Haut Medoc but here the formation of gravel over clay creates a cooler atmosphere for its vines compared to those in the villages farther downstream. This results in delayed ripening and wines with higher acidity compared to the other villages.
While they can seem a bit austere when young, St. Estephe reds prove to live very long in the cellar. Traitionally dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, many producers now add a significant proportion of Merlot to the blend, which will soften any sharp edges of the more tannic, Cabernet.
The St. Estephe village contains two second growths, Chateau Montrose and Cos d’Estournel.