Château Ormes de Pez 2022

Deep dark color, intense cassis aromas, ripe fruit, tobacco, smoke; dense, compact, rich fruit, finely knit tannins, good length. A powerful Ormes De Pez.

This is stylish in the way it captures the vintage’s warm cassis and mulled plum fruit, along with the AOC’s telltale warm stone, lilac and iron accents. The long, smoldering finish pulls everything together thanks to a subtle chalky thread. Understated and nicely done. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2026 through 2038.

Clean and clear, with lovely precision to the red berry fruit on the palate and a salty, wet-stone aspect that lingers on the tongue. Feels nicely controlled with lots of energy. Tannins are still to the fore and do most of the talking right now, but this has a charming element too and I like the mineral terroir markers. Straight and a little serious, but well crafted with lots of detail.

This is a solid red with plenty of muscle in the Ormes de Pez way. It’s medium- to full-bodied with dense and chewy tannins that are polished yet lightly austere. Blackcurrants, nutmeg and other spices such as thyme. Nicely austere in a very St.-Estephe way. Drink after 2028.

Tasted blind. Evolved rim. Very sweet and rather atypical St-Estèphe. Finish is a bit stringy and simple. (JR)

Black currants and spice form the core of this wine. On the medium-bodied palate, the wine is sweet, vibrant, and packed with black fruits, wet earth, spice, cedar, and leafy tobacco. Soft, round, and generous, the peppery black fruit on the finish really works here. The wine is a blend of 51% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2025-2042. 91-93 pts.

Dark ruby colour, purple reflections, brightening on the rim. Fresh cherries, some liquorice, dark berries, inviting bouquet. Chocolatey texture, dark wild berries, integrated tannins, mineral, fruity on the finish, a fine and spicy food wine.

The 2022 Château Ormes De Pez is based on 51% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Rocking levels of black cherries, red plums, spicy wood, and tobacco all emerge from this round, medium- to full-bodied, voluptuous, sexy 2022 that’s already hard to resist. It’s going to have at least two decades of longevity.

Trace of gunsmoke on the opening, needs a moment to clear and open to show the rich, ripe, brambled fruit. This is enjoyable, orange peel, mandarin, pomegranate, cloves, a flash of crème de cassis on the finish. 45% new oak for ageing, 40ha vineyard, Cazes family owners.

A slightly oaky, musky nose, followed by a serious palate, still marked by oak, with a dark character, mirroring the nose.

The nose is elegant, delicate and powerful at the same time. Tension. It reveals notes of Boysenberry, violet and licorice/star anise, combined with touches of fairly ripe small red fruits, fine hints of nutmeg, a discreet touch of cinnamon and a subtle hint of Cubeb pepper. An almost oriental-spice note in the background. The palate is beautifully guided, supple, fresh, elegant and gourmand, offering tension, precision, lovely fresh-coated richness, a subtle sappy hint, and a linear, contained profile. On the palate, the wine expresses notes of Boysenberry, fresh/crisp small red berries and, more slightly, fresh violet and fresh lily, as well as fine hints of sweet spices and tobacco, with a touch of graphene and dark chocolate (in the background). The tannins are soft and gourmand. Freshness, richness, density, fleshiness and indulgence.

A lovely deep red. Intense nose with ripe fruit aromas. The palate is captivating with its perfectly juicy character, its full mid-palate, and its long, savory finish with rich, velvety tannins.

A characterful, heady nose of black cherry jam, blackberry and tobacco, with fine yet firm tannins in great quantity, and a body that feels a touch light compared to its tannic load. It boasts elegance and finesse, and we foresee a pleasant future for it.

A big, black fruit flavored wine with chocolate aromas and solid black tannins. A velvet texture gives the smoothness of the wine. Drink the wine from 2027.

The 2022 Ormes de Pez offers up an exotic, aromatic bouquet of sweet red fruit compote and flowers, followed by a medium-bodied palate with a rich, soft attack that segues into a somewhat tannic, ephemeral finish. It’s a solid, modern-styled Saint-Estèphe.