History
A family history
Although Lynch-Bages is without a doubt the flagship of the Domaines Jean-Michel Cazes, Ormes de Pez belongs to the Medoc landscape since the 18th century. Purchased by Jean-Charles Cazes in the wake of the Second World War, the history of these two estates is closely linked.
As with the renovation of Bages village in Pauillac, near to Cordeillan-Bages, the Cazes family have developed their sense of welcome by transforming this elegant residence into a charming guest house.
At the time of the French Revolution, the current property was called the Domaine de Pez (meaning ''peace'' in the local dialect). As for the elms (''ormes'') that have appeared on the bottle labels since 2003, they grew on the grounds of the domaine until this mythical variety of tree ceased to grow in Europe in the 1950's.
The Cazes family
From the 19th century onwards, the château had numerous owners (Southard and Pieck, Berthé, Carrère, Alibert, Meiners and Allemand, Eschenauer, Johnson, Miaihle), before becoming a part of the Cazes family.
In around 1880, Marie Cazes married Jean Guillou, the Ormes de Pez Cellar Master. He was sadly killed at the very beginning of the Great War and so Marie, a woman of great character, subsequently took over the business. Her brother Jean-Charles Cazes purchased Ormes de Pez in 1940.
Jean-Michel Cazes later redeveloped and modernised the traditional XVIII century buildings in the early 80's.