Created in the 15th century, Château de Pez is the oldest domain in Saint-Estèphe. The Pontac family, who also created Haut-Brion, gave Pez its vineyards. The domain was sold as a property of the state after the French Revolution and was owned by a succession of families before Champagne Louis Roederer purchased it in 1995.
The Château de Pez estate covers more than 26 hectares. The wines are left to ferment in traditional oak vats before being blended, and left to develop for a period of 16 to 18 months in oak barrels, 40 percent of them new.
The Château de Pez winery remains resolutely faithful to wood. The blend is composed in December, then the wine is stored in barrels (40% new wood, 40% in “premier vin” casks and 20% in “deuxième vin” casks) and racked every three months. Vatting: 22-30 days. It is to be noted that the wine undergoes absolutely no filtration. The wines of Château de Pez have an attractive tannic structure worthy of further ageing. They are sometimes referred to as the ‘Pomerols’ of St-Estèphe, in part due to the smooth roundness brought to the wine by the Merlot vines grown on the exceptional soils. They tend to be dark in colour and have great length, body and distinction and are best appreciated after 5+ years.
The month of June saw ideal conditions for ripening although July and August were much more dreary. September, on the other hand, brought a glorious and endless Indian Summer. These weather conditions, much appreciated in Bordeaux, laid the foundations for this classic and highly promising vintage. The harvesting lasted 5 long weeks as we harvested each parcel at optimum ripeness. This vintage gave powerful, generous and very expressive Merlot, distinctive and elegant Cabernet Sauvignon and exceptionally complex Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The wines are powerful, voluptuous, rich and well-balanced.
Complex nose of spice and red fruits. Long palate with smooth, elegant tannins
and notes of black fruits and ripe, juicy strawberries.
Lamb, red meats, cheese, truffle, chocolate.
Serve at room temperature
JamesSuckling.com: 91 POINTS
February 14, 2017, James Suckling
“This is ripe, rich yet mellow on the nose and the front palate. Then the St.-Estèphe tannins come through on the finish. Very well made. Supple and flavorful. Drink in 2020.”
Wine Enthusiast: 92 POINTS
February 1, 2017, Roger Voss
“The wine has powerful tannins which are balanced with equally rich fruit. It is firm, in the Saint-Estèphe style, while never losing sight of a rich fruity future. The wine, from an estate at the heart of the Pez plateau, will develop well. Drink from 2024.”
Vinous Media: 92 POINTS
February 2017, Antonio Galloni
“The 2014 de Pez is a powerful, dense, richly textured wine. Graphite, smoke, licorice, lavender and a host of dark-fleshed fruit notes abound. The 2014 offers striking depth, with more than enough underpinning of structure to support a number of years of fine drinking. The blend is 56 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 41 % Merlot and 3 % Petit Verdot. The 2014 is a gorgeous wine, and a sleeper for the year.”
AOC Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux
56% Cabernet Sauvignon
41% Merlot
3% Petit Verdot
Natural Cork
13%
No
No
