Château Les Ormes de Pez, St Estèphe, 2023
Jean-Charles Cazes and the Lynch Bages team have produced a sensational Ormes de Pez from a majority 55% Merlot blend, giving this St Estephe a wonderfully juicy core to compliment the wild, blackcurrant shrub fragrance on the nose. Floral, crisp and rather delicious, there's lots of pixelated dark fruit and a really nice tannic thread through the core, which gives is presence and composure.
critic reviews
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2023 Ormes de Pez rolls effortlessly out of the glass with notes of baked plums, boysenberry preserves, and kirsch plus nuances of wet pebbles and cedar. The medium-bodied palate is soft, with just enough fruit nicely balanced by soft tannins, finishing with a refreshing lift. The blend is 55% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot.
Plenty of Ormes de Pez sappy tannins and rich black fruit character, great quality, easy to recommend and should offer good value. No frost, and despite mildew pressure final yields of 51hl/h, 45% new oak, harvest September 14 through into October 4.
The 2023 Ormes de Pez was picked from September 19. This was tasted two or three times. I must confess, I was not taken by the bottle poured at Lynch Bages, which felt high-toned and a bit blowsy. However, the last bottle tasted at the UGC was far better: a more classically-hewn nose with tertiary notes of tar and graphite infusing the black fruit. Quintessential Saint-Estèphe. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and well balanced with gentle grip. The new oak (45%) is well integrated. Suffice it to say, this is much more promising.
Aromas of dark berries, cassis and creamy new oak introduce the 2023 Ormes de Pez, a medium-bodied, rich and creamy wine with a lively core of fruit and sweet structuring tannins. At 55%, Merlot dominates the blend.