-
93
/ 100
James Suckling -
92
/
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate -
93
/ 100
Decanter -
90
/ 100
Vinous -
16.5
/
Jancis Robinson MW
Red
Classification
Cabernet Blend
Variety
2020
Vintage
750ml (Bottle)
Bottle Size
France
Country
Bordeaux, Saint-Estephe
Region
14.0%
Alcohol %
15 Plus Years
Cellaring
Scores
93 / 100"A firm, lightly chewy red with blackberry, blueberry, spice and some chocolate. Medium body and fine tannins. It grows on the palate. Tannins sneak up at the end. 54% merlot, the highest percentage ever, the rest cabernet sauvignon with a touch of petit verdot."
- James Suckling
92 /
"Composed of 54% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, to be aged for around 16 months in French oak barriques, 45% new, the 2020 Ormes de Pez has an alcohol of 13.17%, a pH of 3.69 and an IPT of 79. Deep garnet-purple colored, it springs from the glass with notes of plum preserves, blueberry compote and Morello cherries, plus hints of graphite, wild mushrooms and sautéed herbs. The medium-bodied palate delivers plenty of herbs-laced black fruits with a pleasant chewiness to the texture and lovely freshness, finishing on a lingering fragrant-earth note."
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
93 / 100
"Blueberry, raspberry and cassis, there is concentration but also juice. Merlot-dominant (following a restructuring of the vineyard to better align grapes with terroir) with bite and freshness. A lovely smoky edge here, this is another successful vintage for Ormes de Pez. 4% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.69ph. 45% new oak. A yield of 42hl/ha which was not as low here as at Lynch Bages because of more clay in the soils, and because the Merlot was less impacted by the drought than the Cabernet Sauvignon. Drinking Window 2024 - 2038"
- Decanter
90 / 100
"The 2020 Ormes de Pez is a pretty wine, even if it feels a bit light. Dried herbs, tobacco, mint, dried flowers and earthy tones lend aromatic nuance to this attractive, mid-weight Saint-Estèphe. It would be nice to see a bit more depth. Perhaps that will come with élevage."
- Vinous
16.5 /
"Dark crimson, but much paler than the Pauillacs from this Cazes stable. Aromatic and medium concentration of fruit with some stoniness on the palate. Marked tannins and acidity but nothing excessive. Classic St-Estèphe. Cool fruit and freshness. Very dry finish. I should imagine that this will be far from the most opulent wine of the appellation but it's very sincere and correct and I like the menthol-fresh finish."
- Jancis Robinson MW
Tasting Notes
Merlot 54%, Cabernet Sauvignon 38%, Cabernet Franc 4%, Petit Verdot 4%
This is a super effort from the Lynch-Bages team this year. The drought has given concentration, but not at the expense of delicacy. That is evident at first from the colour, which is full but not dense. The overall impact of the wine is of a sleek and perfumed lightness of touch. There is a creaminess, a sunny sense of purity and a wonderful crunch of ripe blackcurrant. There is complexity, too. The track record here is for a wine that will age well over a decade or more.
Drink 2025-2035
Tasting Profile
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity