In Bond per 12x75cl - En Primeur
"Jane Anson, Decanter.com 93/100
Blueberry, raspberry and cassis, there is concentration but also juice. Merlot-dominant (following a restructuring of the vineyard to better align grapes with terroir) with bite and freshness. A lovely smoky edge here, this is another successful vintage for Ormes de Pez. 4% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.69ph. 45% new oak. A yield of 42hl/ha which was not as low here as at Lynch Bages because of more clay in the soils, and because the Merlot was less impacted by the drought than the Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink 2024 - 2038
Neal Martin, vinous.com 90-92/100
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. Drink 2025 - 2045
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate 90-92
Composed of 54% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, to be aged for around 16 months in French oak barriques, 45% new, the 2020 Ormes de Pez has an alcohol of 13.17%, a pH of 3.69 and an IPT of 79. Deep garnet-purple colored, it springs from the glass with notes of plum preserves, blueberry compote and Morello cherries, plus hints of graphite, wild mushrooms and sautéed herbs. The medium-bodied palate delivers plenty of herbs-laced black fruits with a pleasant chewiness to the texture and lovely freshness, finishing on a lingering fragrant-earth note. Drink 2024 - 2040"
Jean-Charles Cazes (proprietor of Ch Lynch-Bages) purchased Ormes de Pez from his sister Marie Cazes, who in around 1880 had married Jean Guillou, the Ormes de Pez Cellar Master. Sadly Jean Guillou was killed early on during WW1 and Marie had run the property with great fortitude until the sale to her brother in 1940. Jean-Michel Cazes (son of Jean-Charles) redeveloped and modernised the traditional XVIII century buildings in the early 80's, and a further renovation has been undertaken in more recent years.
Some very old 'ormes' (elm trees), which no longer exist, account for the name of this property, whose history can be traced back to the 18th century. The 35-hectare vineyard is located around the hamlet of Pez and is divided into two main plots, in the centre and north of the commune of Saint-Estèphe. Ormes de Pez has very homogeneous soil (a clay gravel mixture typical of Saint-Estèphe) and many of the vines are quite old. The grapes are hand-picked. After selecting the vats and blending the wine is aged in oak barrels for 15 months. Designated a crus bourgeois exceptionnel in the 2003 classification, Château Ormes de Pez has a new label illustrating both the estate's renaissance and the elegance of its wine. ©ugcb
