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.
Château de Pez estate covers 48 hectares, with 70 plots surrounding the Château, allowing for a ‘parcellaire’ approach. The wines are left to ferment in traditional oak vats before being blended, and left to develop for a period of 12 months in oak barrels, 35 percent of them new. There is now a new vat room, with conical stainless steel vats, which allow for a softer extraction of tannins.
Château de Pez remains resolutely faithful to wood. The blend is composed in December, and 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. It is to be noted that the wine undergoes absolutely no filtration.
After an abnormally mild and rainy winter, prompting a consistent but predicted budding, summer arrived definitively on June 20th. This very dry summer compensated for a very wet spring. Saint Estephe’s chalky clay soils played an important role by retaining humidity thus allowing the vine to find water when in an otherwise none would have been available. The harvest began on September 20th and continued gently on until October 18th allowing for optimal ripening of each plot.
The bouquet of this wine expresses notes of blackcurrant, cherry and liquorice as well as a hint of minerals. Rich and complex, this wine maintains the balance between density and harmony, power and refinement, race and the precision of its tannins.
Lamb, red meats, cheese, truffle, chocolate.
Serve at room temperature
Wine Enthusiast
93 POINTS
May 1, 2019, Roger Voss
“One of the many estates on the Pez plateau in Saint-Estèphe, this property is at the top of its game. Owned by the same proprietors as Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, the wine has structure, big tannins as well as dense black fruits. Drink from 2024.”
Wine Spectator
92 POINTS
March 31, 2019, James Molesworth
“This has a mix of red currant, dark plum and bitter cherry fruit flavors giving nice range from the start, while light tobacco, iron and singed alder notes check in as well. The taut finish has pebbly tannins and solid length. Cellar to let this unwind. Best from 2023 through 2033. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.”
Jeb Dunnuck
92 POINTS
February 28, 2019, Jeb Dunnuck
“Made by Nicolas from Comtesse, the 2016 Château de Pez checks in as a blend of 42%, 53 Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Black cherries, green tobacco, some underbrush, and cedar pencil notes all flow to a medium to full-bodied, supple, elegant 2016 that still shows true Saint-Estèphe character.”
AOC Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux
53% Merlot
42% Cabernet Sauvignon
3.5% Petit Verdot
1.5% Cabernet Franc
Natural Cork
13.5%
No
No
