Château de Pez 2022

Polished and charming, the 2022 de Pez bursts with aromas of blackberries, vanilla pod and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and velvety palate that's integrated and expressive. This will offer a broad drinking window. As readers may remember, this estate has now been fully restructured and serves as something of a research and development laboratory for its sibling, Pichon Lalande, and director Nicolas Glumineau and his team have been working to bring more precision and purity to the wine.

Black cherry and dark currant fruit is lightly mulled in feel, while sweet tobacco, chestnut leaf and singed alder notes wrap around it. The earth-tinged finish shows focus and poise. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2026 through 2038.

Lively, fresh and open with lots of clear, clean red berry fruit and salty, stone-edged tannins. Sleek and svelte, with nice energy and focus; not plush or overtly powerful. It has definitely shed its en primeur heft and become slightly lighter and more appealing, with energy and vibrancy, yet you still sense the muscle and that it will age well.

The 2022 de Pez is a stellar wine. Plum, blood orange, exotic spice, cedar and new leather fill out the layers. Technical Director Nicolas Glumineau has increased the focus at Pez through stricter selection in the field and greater attention in the winery—something made easier with the new cellar. Among other things, the team also lengthened élevage to 18 months from the more typical 12–15 months. The 2022 is a major step forward at Pez.

Even better in the bottle than it was from the barrel. Opening with licorice, black cherries, flowers, and blackberries, you also find spice in the back of the perfume. On the palate, the wine is round, fresh, fruity, and loaded with crushed rocks and stones, finishing with layers of licorice and salty, chewy black currants. The wine blends 59% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. After 10 years of renovations and work in the vineyards, this marks the first vintage of de Pez offered as a future on the Place de Bordeaux. Drink from 2025–2037.

Juicy red, blue, and black fruits, sappy herbs, violets, and chocolate notes all emerge from the 2022 Château De Pez, a ripe, full-bodied, opulent Pez that has a balanced, layered style that's already hard to resist. I love how this has come together since En Primeur, and this is well worth a case purchase. It’s going to deliver the goods any time over the coming two decades or more.

Love this, such a chewy, juicy old-school style, full of pleasure. Supple tannins, just the right amount of spice and a toasted tannic grip. Tasted twice. Hail in Pez in April, so they had a half crop, 22 hl/ha yield. New cellar here since 2018, with longer ageing in barrel. Feels full of character and heart, luscious with a juicy finish, great stuff and good value. A buy.

A palette of purple in all its shades for this deliciously indulgent nose. A lovely purity, where blackberry intertwines with floral sap. On the palate, a sumptuous texture, like the caress of raw velvet. A powerful wine, with a delicious roughness.

Dense and precise, the bouquet reveals nuances of black berries while also showing freshness and depth. It knows what it is capable of and grows increasingly confident with relevance and precision. With precise, fine and powerful tannins, it relies on the subtlety of its austerity, which underpins the freshness and persistence of the finish. Certainly one of the best Château de Pez of recent years.

Dark red color. Aromatic nose with ripe, dark fruit. Soft, fruity, flavorful palate with a taste of black fruits. Lacks power on the finish (cru affected by hail). Pleasant profile. Blend: 59% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc. Alcohol: 14% - pH: 3.8. Yield: 25 hl/ha.

59% of very fine Merlots provide unparalleled roundness and depth, with its Cabernets bringing power and density that will only grow with time. Highly expressive, the bouquet bursts with notes of hyacinth, lilac, and rose, while sanguine and earthy flavors emerge mid-palate. Everything is integrated, flavorful, seamless.

The density of this wine masks the powerful tannins. A rich black fruit aroma and a spicy texture give the wine concentration and black fruits. The aging ability is very present. Drink from 2028.