Château Ormes de Pez

The wines from Ormes de Pez are powerful yet characterised by their harmonious structure. They are indulgent, pleasurable and combine a smooth, fleshy texture with the distinctive elegance of a Saint-Estèphe.

Made using the traditional grape varieties, these wines are rich, full-bodied and generous. They are made of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon and complemented by a significant amount of Merlot for a combination of longevity and smoothness. The resulting wines are rich and fruity with a rather imposing tannic backbone. They are seductive in their youth and develop their finesse after a few years of bottle age.

Château Les Ormes de Pez is a harmonious, spicy and distinctive wine that reveals the authenticity of its terroir in the Saint-Estèphe appellation. It will charm you with its opulence, elegance and well-rounded structure. The palate offers robust tannins whilst retaining a smooth, fleshy side.

Although Lynch-Bages is without a doubt the flagship of the Domaines Jean-Michel Cazes, Ormes de Pez belongs to the Medoc landscape since the 18th century. Purchased by Jean-Charles Cazes in the wake of the Second World War, the history of these two estates is closely linked.

As with the renovation of Bages village in Pauillac, near to Cordeillan-Bages, the Cazes family have developed their sense of welcome by transforming this elegant residence into a charming guest house.

At the time of the French Revolution, the current property was called the Domaine de Pez (meaning ''peace'' in the local dialect). As for the elms (''ormes'') that have appeared on the bottle labels since 2003, they grew on the grounds of the domaine until this mythical variety of tree ceased to grow in Europe in the 1950's.

The Cazes family

From the 19th century onwards, the château had numerous owners (Southard and Pieck, Berthé, Carrère, Alibert, Meiners and Allemand, Eschenauer, Johnson, Miaihle), before becoming a part of the Cazes family.

In around 1880, Marie Cazes married Jean Guillou, the Ormes de Pez Cellar Master. He was sadly killed at the very beginning of the Great War and so Marie, a woman of great character, subsequently took over the business. Her brother Jean-Charles Cazes purchased Ormes de Pez in 1940.

Jean-Michel Cazes later redeveloped and modernised the traditional XVIII century buildings in the early 80's.

In the North of the Saint-Estèphe commune, bordering the Pez hameau, the Ormes de Pez estate owes its name to a magnificent grove of elm trees which no longer exists today.

Château Ormes de Pez lies 60 km from Bordeaux on the Médoc peninsula. It benefits from a mild ocean climate thanks to its proximity to the estuary and the Atlantic ocean.

A characteristic vineyard of the Saint-Estèphe appellation

Its 35 hectares of vineyards consist of two very distinct terroirs: the Cabernets thrive on the gravelly parcels composed of quartz and rolled pebbles whereas Merlot is best-suited to the cooler, sandy-clay parcels. These parcels have good drainage properties and are representative of the Saint-Estèphe appellation.

Vines have an average age of 35 years and are planted at a density of 9,000 vines per hectare in accordance with the traditional Médoc planting ratio. Cabernet Sauvignon counts for 54% of plantings, complemented by 37% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot

The wines from Ormes de Pez are made with the same care and attention as those from Château Lynch-Bages (Grand Cru classé de Pauillac).

Our technical teams, overseen by Tonio Sanfins, prioritise integrated methods of agriculture which include the use of neutral products for the environment, optimised plant-health control and fallow periods for soil rest. Grapes are harvested by hand.

Vinification takes place at the domaine under the responsibility of Daniel Llose and Nicolas Labenne. Grapes are divided into temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. Alcoholic fermentation and maceration last for around 20 days during which progressive cycles of 'rack and return' and pumping over are carried out. This traditional winemaking method prioritises a gentle extraction of colours and tannins. The wine is then aged for around 15 months in French oak barrels, 45% of which are new oak.

Innovative winemaking techniques

Our technicians are constantly developing innovative methods that allow the vineyards to be handled in the most precise and efficient way. Satellite photography has been used since 2010 in order to identify homogenous intra-parcel areas. The technicians are also actively involved in the development of new tractors and are working in close collaboration with the manufacturer.

Lastly, the 'massal selection' program allows them to preserve the vineyard's genetic heritage and formulate vine schemes based on historical plantings at Ormes de Pez.