Chateau Ormes de Pez 2017

Blood orange, bitter cherry, lilac and savory notes mingle in this gentle-edged, light-bodied version. A subtle twinge of iron at the very end keeps this going. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2024.

Ormes has managed another good vintage after a run of them. This is a lovely wine and a buy for me. Succulent, bristling and charming, it has juicy brambled fruit extraction and tension. It doesn't take itself too seriously, just asking to be loved. The fruit spectrum is rich with blueberries and damsons, with integrity and a swirl of vanilla bean oak. Includes 6% Cabernet Franc in the blend. No need to wait too long for this. 45% new oak.

A beautiful red with aromas and flavors of plums, spices and burnt chocolate. Medium-bodied, creamy and fruity. Juicy finish. A blend of 51% merlot, 42% cabernet sauvignon, 6% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Drink or hold.

Tasted both at Hangar 14 and at Haut-Batailley. Very dark crimson. The aroma is equal parts black fruit and graphite. On the palate, some sweetness of oak spice but there's a slight lack of fruit richness on the palate so that overall it is relatively light. Persistent though, and the tannins are fine enough not to dominate. (JH)

The 2017 Ormes de Pez comes across as light and easygoing, with only modest depth and nuance. There just isn't much to the 2017, in terms of either body and complexity. Drink it up.

Medium-bodied, forward, early-drinking Saint-Estephe with plenty of fresh red fruits, earth, spice and tobacco nuances.

Deep dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, delicate edge brightening, fine nougat, attractive black berry fruit underneath, fine precious wood nuances. Juicy, complex, ripe cherry fruit, vivid, firm tannins, fine nougat on the finish, mineral and persistent, secure development with certain ageing potential.

A blend of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 51% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 45% new oak, the 2017 Chateau Ormes De Pez sports a healthy ruby color as well as classic notes of black cherries, mulberries, and blackcurrants interwoven with green tobacco and lead pencil notes. With medium to full body, ripe tannins, and good acidity, it's as classic as they come. It has some charm and approachability already (no doubt due to the high Merlot content) yet should evolve for two decades or more.

42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 51% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet with a violet rim. Fragrant wild berries, light tobacco and verbena, followed by juniper, sour cherries and delicate nutty-chocolate notes. On the palate, supporting tannins and a finely firm texture. In the focused finish, a great echo of fresh morello cherry juice and lingonberry jam. Perfectly vinified and on its way to a higher score. 17.5/20

Kunz barrel sample 18: (42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 51% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, 13.42% alc./vol.) Herbs, light bouquet, red and blue berries, currants, tobacco, smoke. Medium-bodied palate, nicely structured, with moderate fruit, good tannins, muscular structure, fine aromatics, and a nicely dry finish.

A blend of 51% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, Ormes de Pez 2017 has a deep garnet color. It pops with bright, vivacious blackcurrants, red and black plums, and scents of mulberries, plus suggestions of tilled soil and bay leaves. Medium-bodied, the palate is delicately styled and energetic, delivering savory-sparked black fruits and a minerally finish.

One of the most precisely defined and elegant Ormes of recent vintages, with notes of Havana cigar and cedar, real finesse and excellent oak integration. Tasted at the château.

The 2017 is in keeping with the estate’s wines, displaying that very seductive, gourmet style. A wine that opens up with lovely fleshy fruit and a smooth, melded character.

Juicy, taut, lovely acidity, a savory, long finish, beautiful flesh, a tactile wine.

The bouquet of Ormes de Pez is complex and very typical of its region, with mineral, fruity, and spicy notes. Hints of blueberries and graphite. On the palate, the wine is creamy, with firm tannins that bring breadth and character. Juicy, sapid, and balanced profile. A refreshing tension on the finish. A solid, muscular wine built to age.

Dark color, slightly evolved. Lovely fruity nose with a hint of hazelnut. Delicate touch on the palate, developing into a smooth, perfumed profile with good length. Very pleasant overall.

A smoky as well as fruity wine, this stablemate of Lynch-Bages shows fine tannins as well as rich fruits. The wine is sure to develop well, so drink from 2024.

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Ormes de Pez features black cherries and cassis notions over a core of fragrant earth, stewed tea and tobacco plus a waft of forest floor. Medium-bodied, the palate is packed with juicy black fruit with a grainy texture and long, mineral-tinged finish.