Château de Pez was founded in the 15th century by the same family who created Haut-Brion. Château de Pez was owned by descendants of the Pontac family until the French Revolution, when it was taken over by the state and sold off to new owners. Several families bought and sold the estate over the following centuries, and in 1995 it was purchased by the Champagne House Louis Roederer. Today there are 64 vineyard acres planted to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Saint-Estèphe is in the northern Médoc, on the left bank of the Gironde River. Although it has no First Growth estates, its five Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Growth châteaux are notable, and, in recent decades, have become favorites with reviewers and consumers. Some reviewers also note that the appellation is today making excellent Cru Bourgeois wines, which frequently offer good value. There are 3,404 acres of vineyards and a variety of soil types, from gravelly soil to soil with significant sand or clay. The two Second Growth Châteaux in St.-Estephe are Cos d’Estournel and Montrose. The Third Growth Calon-Ségur is widely admired. The principal grapes grown are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.