Ormes de Pez is a shrewd buy for Bordeaux fans, punching well above its Cru Bourgeois status. It is owned by the Cazes family, who also own Pauillac’s Lynch-Bages, with the same winemaking ethos and a team led by Lynch-Bages’ Daniel Llose. Ormes de Pez benefits from its proximity to the estuary, which helps to regulate the temperatures and protects its 35 hectares from frost damage. Cabernet Sauvignon makes up the majority of plantings, followed by Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Alongside meticulous winemaking practices like hand harvesting and using ex Lynch-Bages barrels for ageing, the estate continues to innovate, using satellite imaging to pick out individual parcels and developing new tractors to sensitively work the land.

Bordeaux, located in southwest France, is one of the world’s most prestigious wine regions, renowned for its elegant and age-worthy wines. The region benefits from a temperate maritime climate influenced by the Atlantic Ocean and Gironde estuary, providing mild winters, warm summers, and the rainfall necessary for balanced grape ripening.

Bordeaux’s diverse soils—ranging from gravelly terraces on the Left Bank to clay and limestone on the Right Bank—strongly influence grape selection and wine style. The region is divided into sub-regions, most notably the Left Bank (Médoc, Graves) and Right Bank (Saint-Émilion, Pomerol), along with Entre-Deux-Mers.

The dominant red grape varieties include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. Merlot thrives on the clay soils of the Right Bank, producing plush, fruity wines, while Cabernet Sauvignon excels in the gravel soils of the Left Bank, giving structured, tannic wines with dark fruit and earthy notes. Cabernet Franc adds aromatic lift and finesse.

White Bordeaux wines, particularly from Pessac-Léognan and Entre-Deux-Mers, are crafted from Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Muscadelle, offering fresh citrus, stone fruit, and floral notes. The region is also famous for its sweet wines, like Sauternes, which display honeyed richness, balanced by vibrant acidity.

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world’s most widely planted and celebrated red grape varieties, known for its deep colour, firm tannins, and remarkable ageing potential. Originating in Bordeaux, France, as a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, it has become a global benchmark for structured, full-bodied red wines.

Viticulturally, Cabernet Sauvignon is a hardy, late-ripening grape that thrives in warm, sunny climates. It produces small, thick-skinned berries, contributing to its bold tannic structure and deep colour. The vine is relatively resistant to disease and adapts well to diverse soils, making it suitable for a wide range of terroirs.

Today, Cabernet Sauvignon is planted extensively across the world—from its French homeland in Bordeaux’s Left Bank, to California’s Napa Valley, Chile’s Maipo Valley, Australia’s Coonawarra, and South Africa’s Stellenbosch. It often forms the backbone of blends, particularly in Bordeaux-style wines, but also shines as a varietal expression.

Flavour profiles typically include blackcurrant (cassis), blackberry, mint, cedar, and tobacco, often developing notes of leather, earth, and spice with age. Styles range from fruit-forward and plush in warmer climates to structured and herbal in cooler ones. Cabernet Sauvignon’s power, elegance, and longevity make it a cornerstone of fine red winemaking worldwide.

Merlot is one of the world’s most widely planted and popular red grape varieties, prized for its soft texture, approachability, and rich fruit character. Originating in Bordeaux, France—particularly prominent in the Right Bank regions of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol—Merlot is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties to add suppleness and ripe fruit.

Viticulturally, Merlot is an early-ripening grape, making it well-suited to cooler climates. It thrives in clay-rich soils, which enhance its plush texture and depth. However, it can be sensitive to frost and overly vigorous if not carefully managed, sometimes leading to high yields and diluted flavours.

Today, Merlot is grown extensively around the world, including in France, Italy, the United States (especially California and Washington State), Chile, Australia, and New Zealand. In each region, it adapts to different styles—from soft and fruity to structured and age-worthy.

Merlot wines are typically medium to full-bodied, with smooth tannins and flavours of plum, black cherry, blackberry, chocolate, and sometimes herbal or earthy notes. In warmer climates, the wines tend to be richer and fruitier, while cooler regions produce more restrained, elegant expressions. Merlot’s versatility and charm make it a staple of both varietal wines and blends worldwide.

Cabernet Franc is one of the classic black grape varieties, believed to have originated in southwest France, possibly in the Basque region. Genetically, it is a parent of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, making it a cornerstone of many of the world’s great red wines. In the vineyard, Cabernet Franc is known for its early ripening, adaptability to cooler climates, and good disease resistance. It thrives in well-drained, gravelly or sandy soils, producing moderate yields with small, thin-skinned berries.

Traditionally associated with the Loire Valley (notably Chinon, Bourgueil, and Saumur-Champigny) and Bordeaux, it is now grown worldwide, including in Italy’s Friuli and Veneto regions, Spain, Hungary, South Africa, the United States (especially California and New York’s Finger Lakes), Canada, Argentina, and New Zealand.

Cabernet Franc’s style varies with climate and winemaking approach. In cooler regions, it produces medium-bodied wines with high acidity, moderate tannins, and distinctive aromas of redcurrant, raspberry, and violets, often with herbal or leafy notes such as green bell pepper. Warmer climates yield riper, fuller expressions with blackberry, plum, and spice. It is frequently used in Bordeaux-style blends for aromatic lift and finesse, but can also shine as a varietal wine, celebrated for its elegance, freshness, and complex, savoury character.

Petit Verdot is a red grape variety originally from Bordeaux, traditionally used in small quantities in blends to add colour, tannin, and aromatic complexity. It plays a supporting role in many classic Left Bank wines, particularly in the Médoc, although its late ripening nature means it is only used in warmer vintages. As climate conditions have changed, Petit Verdot has gained renewed interest both within Bordeaux and in warmer wine regions around the world.

Outside of France, Petit Verdot is successfully grown in countries such as Australia, the United States (particularly California and Washington), Spain, Chile, and increasingly in Argentina and South Africa. In these warmer climates, the grape reaches full maturity more consistently, allowing for varietal expressions as well as blends.

Petit Verdot typically produces deeply coloured, full-bodied wines with firm tannins and good acidity. Aromas often include black cherry, plum, violet, graphite, and spice, with some examples showing notes of dried herbs, leather, and dark chocolate as they age.

Viticulturally, Petit Verdot is known for its late ripening, making it risky in cooler climates or short growing seasons. It can also be prone to uneven fruit set. However, when conditions are right, it adds depth, structure, and ageing potential to red wines.