From Jean de Briscos to Louis Roederer: six centuries of Saint-Estèphe
Château de Pez is one of the oldest wineries in the entire Saint-Estèphe appellation. Its documented history dates back to 1452, when Knight Jean de Briscos managed the estate. Later, the Château came into the possession of the Pontac family, who simultaneously laid the foundation for Château Haut-Brion in Pessac-Léognan — an indication of the historical rank that Pez occupied early on. During the French Revolution, the estate was auctioned off as state property and changed hands several times over the following decades. It was not until 1995, with its purchase by the Champagne house Louis Roederer, that it returned to stable ownership and a clear future strategy. Since then, the Rouzaud family, who also own Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in Bordeaux, has steered the fortunes of the winery.
Parcel vinification, loyalty to wood, and HVE certification
Following the takeover, a comprehensive renewal program was implemented, affecting both the vineyards and the cellar. In 2018, the construction of a new, modern wine cellar was completed, enabling parcel-by-parcel vinification — a decisive step for more precise blending decisions. Fermentation takes place in a combination of traditional large wooden vats and conical stainless steel tanks. The wine aging remains loyal to wood: 40% new barriques, 40% barrels of the premier vin, and 20% barrels of the second wine, with racking every three months. The blending takes place in December. In parallel, the proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon in the vineyards has been gradually increased over two decades. The estate now holds the HVE-3 certification (Haute Valeur Environnementale).
The 48 hectares of vineyards are located west of the village of Saint-Estèphe on a contiguous plateau with gravelly-clay soils over a limestone subsoil — a location characterized by Atlantic influence and delayed ripening. The vineyard is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, divided into around 70 individual parcels.
Structure with finesse: the Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel and its second wine
Château de Pez was classified as a Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel in 2003 — an award bestowed upon only nine Médoc estates. The wines show what distinguishes Saint-Estèphe: dark fruit, licorice, graphite, and a striking tannin structure that turns into silk over time. Typical of the house are aromas of blackcurrant, Morello cherry, and cedar wood, embedded in a lively acid structure. The finish is long and mineral. Under the leadership of Nicolas Glumineau, selection in the vineyard has been tightened and the aging time extended to 18 months — a leap in quality that is clearly reflected in the glass. Since the 2019 vintage, 2nd Pez has complemented the range as a second wine: from the estate's younger vines, vinified in temperature-controlled steel tanks and conical wooden vats — more accessible in style, but with the same Saint-Estèphe backbone.
