The 2017 de Pez is a solid if slightly unremarkable Saint-Estèphe compared to Les Ormes de Pez. “We had 120mm of rain in Saint-Estèphe between late August and mid-September,” Nicolas Glumineau explains, when I tasted the sample at Pichon-Lalande. “We started picking on 10 September and there was an impact on the concentration of the Merlot. In Pauillac it was just 75mm and the gravel soils free-draining, so it was less affected”. Matured in one-third new oak, it has a perfumed, almost Margaux-like bouquet with black cherries, cedar and violet. The new oak is a little more prominent here than on its stable-mate Haut-Beauséjour tasted alongside. The palate is sweet and rounded on the entry, quite a bit of extraction here with bold tannins. There is a lot of weight density on this Saint-Estèphe and personally I would hope for a little more flesh on the finish. 88-90 points

There`s a little more gravel in the soils here than at Haut-Beauséjour, so the rains of September had less of an impact. There is clearly more of a mid-palate here, with intense cassis and tobacco notes but still an austerity that brings it up a little short. 1.5% Petit Verdot makes up the given blend. The replanting at Pez has almost finished - it should be completed over the next 5 years, by which time the Merlot will have lowered, in favour of Cabernet Sauvignon. A new winery also begins construction next year, making this definitely one to watch. 90 points

Tasted both at Hangar 14 and at Pichon Lalande. 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot, 1.5% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Cassis and something earthy on the nose, a bit woody. More rewarding on the palate, juicy and fresh. Not a huge amount of fruit weight but the structure is fine-boned and thus in balance. 16- points

The 2017 de Pez is deep garnet-purple in color with quite a spicy nose giving notions of black pepper, anise, fenugreek and cloves over a core of blackberries an d cassis with touches of forest floor and truffles. The palate is medium-bodied with a good intensity of black fruits and firm, grainy tannins plus seamless freshness, finishing peppery. 89-91 points