The Château Les Ormes De Pez is an evocative Saint-Estèphe blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Age will be kind to this Bordeaux, allowing the palate to round and develop.
A touch of sweetness on the nose meets with rich cassis, herbs, and liquorice. On the palate, you will taste candied violets and juicy blackberry, with grippy tannings and a refreshing line of acid. A full-bodied Bordeaux from one of the top value château of Saint-Estèphe, it finishes long and lingering.
A firm, lightly chewy red with blackberry, blueberry, spice and some chocolate. Medium body and fine tannins. It grows on the palate. Tannins sneak up at the end. 54% merlot, the highest percentage ever, the rest cabernet sauvignon with a touch of petit verdot.
(92-93) points, JamesSuckling.com (May 2021)
The 2020 Ormes de Pez, which has gradually moved to a more Merlot-dominated blend over the last decade, is aged for 16 months in 45% new oak. It has a nicely detailed bouquet of a mélange of red and black fruit – cranberry, blackberry and a touch of blueberry – accompanied by cedar and subtle wild mint aromas; it is actually quite Pauillac-like in style. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins and chewy in the mouth, quite compact at first. A strong saline, almost briny element comes through toward the finish, which is more quintessential Saint-Estèphe. This is a more backward and less finessed wine compared to the Cazes family’s Lynch-Bages or Haut-Batailley, but there is commendable length and character, not to mention a very attractive openness, to this wine.
(90-92) points, Vinous (May 2021)
Lots of plums, blackcurrants, tobacco, and loamy soil notes make up the bouquet of the 2020 Château Ormes De Pez, and it’s medium-bodied, with some chocolaty background oak, good purity of fruit, and ripe tannins. I don’t see any reason this shouldn’t easily be an outstanding Saint-Estèphe and drink well for 15-20 years.
(90-92) points, JebDunnuck.com (May 2021)
Saint -Estèphe, with 1,377 hectares under vine is the largest of the major Bordeaux appellations in the Medoc. Located in the most northern part of the Left Bank, on average, 585,000 cases of wine are produced each year. The soils see a rich mixture of rocks, clay, limestone and gravel that rests on the surface and of course below, deep in the terroir. Beneath the surface lies a complex blend of different soils, sub soils and terroir. Over the past several decades, the general trend in the Saint -Estèphe vineyards has been to add more Merlot, which has added a lot of softness to the tannins and the wines. Merlot works well in the appellation due to the large amount of clay found in the soils. in the appellation due to the large amount of clay found in the soils.
