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.

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.

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.

The 2017 Les Ormes de Pez has a tightly would bouquet with tertiary, slightly ferrous red berry fruit, perhaps needing a little more cohesion that should evolve with bottle age. The palate is medium-bodied with a balsamic-tinged entry, moderate depth, good density but just missing a little flair and nuance on what feels like a conservative finish.

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.