Château de Pez 2nd Pez

Saint-Estéphe, France

Vintage:2021 (Current)

2019 (Past) | 2020 (Current) |

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Château de Pez  2nd Pez 2021
  • D 89

Reviews

Decanter 89 Points March 31, 2022, Georgina Hindle

Herbal blackcurrant nose, really very Cabernet. The palate Is lively with lots of buzzy, zippy fruit. Quite high-toned black fruits with creamy edges, this is youthful and perky, balanced but with a sense of fun to the black cherry and raspberry fruit. Smooth with St-Estèphe typicity so you get a touch of minty, mineral austerity on the finish - real terroir signature. The acidity is apparent, so the fruit feels a little austere but there's plenty of layers to this. Ageing will bring softness and harmony. The third vintage - since its introduction in 2019 - to take young-vine fruit.

Overview

Founded in the 15th century, Château de Pez is one of the oldest properties in Bordeaux’s Left Bank and the oldest domaine in Saint-Estèphe. Château de Pez consists of 104 continuous acres with 94 acres planted mainly to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Since 2005, Pez has been on an exciting intellectual and technical journey of precision winemaking: experimenting with biodynamic viticulture, a new cellar allowing for plot-by-plot vinification, a meticulous selection of French oak barrels. Under winemaker Nicolas Glumineau's helm, the property bears the distinctive hallmarks of Saint-Estèphe with a modern, elegant twist.

With more than 7 acres farmed under biodyamic practices and an estate-wide HVE Level 3 certification, Pez 2nd is produced sustainably from the young vines of Château de Pez. 

Winemaking

Vinification in temperature-controlled stainless steel (ranging from 90-120 hl) and wooden conical vats (180 hl). The vat best suited to the size of the plot is chosen. Aged for 12 months in 50% oak barrels (of which 20% new, 30% one-year-old, all medium toast) and 50% conical stainless steel vats. 

Tasting Notes

The nose is a bouquet of slightly minty red fruits, with flooral overtones. The palate is soft and fresh with morello cherry aromas. Of medium length, backed by fine, chiselled tannins.

Harvest Notes

An exceptional terroir, a rejuvenated and restructured vineyard, modern technical facilities inaugurated in 2019... Everything is in place to write a new chapter at Pez, a beautiful and ambitious one! Despite the vagaries of turbulent weather, our vineyard has produced a full and very good quality yield. Power, control and balance are the key words that have guided our winemaking, to give this great Saint-Estephe the recognition it deserves!

After a mild and wet winter, the bud break of the vines started quite early, at the end of March. April and May, dry and cool, led to a late vegetative development. June, which was milder, triggered the flowering but was accompanied by record rainfall, even if less than in other Médoc appellations. The thermal inertness of the clay soils of Saint-Estèphe was a real asset for the Pez vineyard, allowing a more gradual development of the vines and thus avoiding too much exposure of sensitive elements (new leaves, berries) to fungal diseases like mildew. The cool and humid summer led to a slow veraison in August. The harvest began on September 23rd and was marked by a few rainy spells which did not affect the health of the vines; by October 7th, all our grapes had been picked.

Technical Information

Varietals: 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot

Wine Alcohol: 13%

pH: 3.60

Soil Composition: Gravel, clay and limestone

Average Vine Age: 25 years

Aging: 12 months (mix of French oak barrels and stainless steel vats)