Château Ormes de Pez 2021

Critic scores

• Wine Enthusiast93
• James Suckling92
• Vinous91
• Decanter91
• Jeb Dunnuck90

The 2021 vintage in Saint-Estèphe

Vintage benchmark: 86/100 (appellation benchmark, not a score for this wine)

Vintage character: Frost, mildew, then a cool summer brought back Bordeaux of old: taut, vibrant wines, shorter but elegant.

Overall reading of the year’s season across Saint-Estèphe. An estate can depart from it sharply, in frost or hail years, where two neighbours did not make the same vintage. What this particular wine actually gave is on its technical sheet and in the scores above.

Tasting

A deep garnet colour. A noble attack, the wine unfolds with aromas of morello cherry and black fruit. Lovely volume, well-present, well-wrapped tannins. The finish is carried by the freshness characteristic of the vintage. This 2021 from Ormes de Pez shows itself generous and delicious, in keeping with recent vintages where the blend is harmoniously balanced between Cabernet and Merlot

Blend of the 2021 vintage

Figures from the 2021 sheet

• 40 hl/haYield

Winemaking

For around 20 days, alcoholic fermentation and maceration are carried out through progressive cycles of rack-and-return (délestage) and pump-overs, a traditional winemaking process that promotes the gentle extraction of colour and tannin.

Ageing

In barrels for 16 months (45% new).

Terroir

The vineyard's two main plots (gravel and sand) lie on either side of the village of Pez, giving a terroir characterised by its great homogeneity and the consistency of its production. The vineyard is planted to 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Harvesting at Château Ormes de Pez is carried out by hand.