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Château Ormes de Pez

Château Ormes de Pez takes its name from the village of Pez near St Estèphe, as do the other nearby cru bourgeois properties of de Pez and La Tour de Pez. Les Ormes translates as elms, and betrays the presence of a copse of these trees, long since disappeared, near the château.

The earliest records concerning the property inform us that during the 19th century it was owned by Marcel Alibert, a local councillor, who was also the proprietor of the fifth growth Haut Médoc estate Château Belgrave, just west of St Julien. Alibert sold Les Ormes de Pez in 1927 to the Société Civile du Haut Médoc, a firm headed up by a Dutchmen Dirk Christofel Meiners, but within two years the business was in serious financial trouble and was rescued by the brokers Louis and Edouard Miailhe. They subsequently sold the property to Jean-Charles Cazes, whose sister had been vineyard manager at the estate under the direction of Alibert, having taken on the role in 1880 upon the death of her husband, who was manager before her. From Jean-Charles the estate was passed to his son André and then to Jean-Michel Cazes, who also owned Lynch-Bages, and oversaw operations at several AXA-Millésimes properties including Pichon-Baron and Suduiraut. In recent years, however, it is Jean-Michel's son, Jean-Charles, who is taking on more and more responsibility for the winemaking at the Cazes properties.

The vineyards are located in two plots north and south of the village of St Estèphe, on the sand and gravel that is typical of the commune. There are 33 hectares in all, with 70% of the vines Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot. They have an average age between 25 and 30 years, and are planted at a density of 9000 vines/ha. The harvested fruit is destemmed and then vinification of destemmed grapes takes place in a restored stable, extensively renovated in the 1993, using stainless steel and temperature control. Malolactic occurs in vat, and the wine then sees fifteen months in second-hand barrels from Lynch-Bages, with several rackings. Barrels aren't alone in their travels between Lynch-Bages and Ormes de Pez, the Lynch Bages winemaking team, led by Daniel Llose, also looks after Les Ormes de Pez. The wine is fined and filtered before bottling. The result is Château Ormes de Pez, a firm, robust wine typical of its commune which offers good value. There is no second wine.

As Bordeaux prices seem to climb ever upwards, those that have to keep their feet on the ground will need estates such as this in order to remain in touch with Bordeaux. There is good quality here, often at a good price. We can only hope that this remains the case in years to come. (26/8/04, updated 1/6/07)

Contact details:
Address: Château Ormes de Pez, 33180 St-Estèphe
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 56 73 24 00
Fax: +33 (0) 5 56 59 26 42
Internet: www.ormesdepez.com
GPS: 45.260083, -0.789975

Château Ormes de Pez - Tasting Notes

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Château Ormes de Pez (St Estèphe) 2010: The blend here is Cabernet Sauvignon 57%, Merlot 35%, Cabernet Franc 7% and Petit Verdot 2%. It will see 45% new oak. Compared to Phélan-Ségur this is a darker wine. The nose is in the same vein, showing some really dark and deep fruit, with an intensely smoky and concentrated character. It seems a touch soft and warm on the palate, but this is related to serving temperature - which as I indicated in my vintage review was a touch high in some samples. A good substance, with vibrant fruit, and the structure is good, with rather firm and gripping tannins but still overall this is very delicious. It has a lovely juicy style to the fruit but also shows depth. Very impressive for the appellation. From my Bordeaux 2010 primeurs assessment. 16.5-17.5/20 (April 2011)

Château Ormes de Pez (St Estèphe) 2009: A sweet, aromatic, very toasty nose. Lots of roasted nut, sweet fruit, almost a caramel edge here too, barrel notes that will fade with time. Supple, weighty, a richly fruited palate. Fleshy, very rounded on the palate, the tannins are broad and velvety but well covered by the weight of fruit. Sooty and yet creamy at the same time. Very approachable. There is a good seam of bright acid to it though, and the grip and backbone comes out from behind the fruit in the finish. All very well composed, this will give some pleasure-filled drinking in the future. A great effort for Ormes de Pez. From a tasting of 2009 Bordeaux at two years of age. 17.5/20 (October 2011)

Château Ormes de Pez (St Estèphe) 2009: This wine has a vibrant hue, and a nose of dark cherry and damson fruit, with a sweet and rather roasted character. Rather bold on the palate, with a nice firm substance. There is a ripe core of tannins, vigorous acids. This is very well composed and a real success on the commune. Bravo for this consistent over-performer! From my 2009 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 16-17+/20 (March 2010)

Château Ormes de Pez (St Estèphe) 2008: Fine and fresh character on the nose, dense but fresh and nicely expressed. The palate is similarly dense and stylish, creamy, coating the mouth with dark summer fruits. Underneath, a good firm tannic backbone. Good acids too. A big, substantial but very successful wine. A good effort. From my 2008 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 16-17+/20 (April 2009)

Château Ormes de Pez (St Estèphe) 2007: Rather dense but also somewhat withdrawn nose. Dry fruit on the palate, lean substance, some firm tannins. Lots of grip and extract here behind the thin fruit, and a smoky, charcoaly hardness. Seems a touch overworked I think. From a tasting of 2007 Bordeaux at two years of age. 14+/20 (October 2009)

Château Ormes de Pez (St Estèphe) 2006: A fairly dark hue here. Not quite as aromatically expressive as the rest of the commune, with dark and withdrawn fruits on the nose and a little toffee over the top. Quite supple on the palate, well composed, with a dark and spiced edge to the fruit lending it some definition. Still fairly soft and loose though. Notes of spiced charcoal lead the way, with intense and gamey blackcurrant fruit later. There is a lot of substance here. This just needs time to come together I think. From a 2006 Bordeaux tasting at four years of age. 16+/20 (November 2010)

Château Ormes de Pez (St Estèphe) 2006: Warm and spicy fruit here, nutty oak, and a ripe and supple character on the palate. It has a well composed style, with a vigorous acid backbone and plenty of tannic grip beneath. Ripe, attractive, although a little dry and dusty. From a tasting of 2006 Bordeaux at two years of age. 15.5+/20 (October 2008)

Château Ormes de Pez (St Estèphe) 2004: An attractive nose here, characterised by accessible, forward, rather seductive fruit with little nuances of pickling spices. The palate has firm but very integrated, well knit tannins and a precise acidity, with a good flavour. This has been well put together. From my 2004 Bordeaux assessment. 16+/20 (October 2006)

Château Ormes de Pez (St Estèphe) 2003: A pleasing nose; nutty, with some pickling spice intensity, and notes of beetroot fruit. Pleasant palate, a little suppleness to it, but also rather a burnt feeling to the tannins. Seems extracted and rather brawny. Quite obvious acidity too. It all seems a little out of kilter. Merely quite good. From my 2003 Bordeaux assessment. 14.5/20 (October 2005)

Château Ormes de Pez (St Estèphe) 2001: Ripe black fruits and a hard, stony character on the nose. Lovely palate. Good texture and a brawny, dark fruit character. Ripe and full. Firm midpalate tannins. Correct acidity. This has potential. Needs four years plus. 15+/20 (May 2004)

Château Ormes de Pez (St Estèphe) 1999: A sweet and aromatic red fruit nose. Good texture on the palate though. There's also quite a bit of unresolved tannin, which is nicely balanced with correct acidity. Has some potential. Needs three years. 14.5+/20 (November 2003)

Château Ormes de Pez (St Estèphe) 1996: This wine has a lovely colour, still with a vibrant raspberry-red rim, despite notes of obvious maturity too. The nose holds much promise, with a very stony, crisp, mineral personality, with notes of crushed raspberries and liquorice. Delightful freshness on the palate, with a crisp, minerally texture, but with a fine balance of terse tannins and fine acidity. This has a really fine presence on the palate, is beautifully fresh, and yet has a touch of warmth. Really very good style here, nicely integrated, and ready to drink. From a 1996 Cru Bourgeois tasting. 17/20 (April 2007)

Château Ormes de Pez (St Estèphe) 1996: A good red purple wine. Classic St Estèphe on the nose, with a hard, gravelly edge to the abundance of cedary, smoky, cigar box and austere blackcurrant fruit. There is an attractive, somewhat hard edge on the palate, this is offset by a good quantity of fruit and a full and rounded texture. The tannins underpin the whole affair giving good structure, but are otherwise barely noticeable. Delicious stuff, classically styled, and the wine of the tasting. Drinking very well now, and over the next 4-5 years. From a Cru Bourgeois tasting. 17+/20 (April 2002)