Chateau Pavie 2016

Chateau Pavie 2016

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Pavie's hillside vineyards were planted to grapes as early as the fourth century AD. Before then, red-fleshed peaches grew on these hills, a variety of fruit called "Pavie peaches” which gave their name to the vineyard.

Today, Château Pavie is an estate with 37 hectares of undivided vineyards with exceptional terroir that benefits from extraordinary sun exposure: due south.

Pavie is without question one of the greatest wines of the right bank. It is one of four wines classified as Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé (A), a distinction it shares with Cheval Blanc, Ausone and Angelus.

Wine Spectator: 100
This is a head-turner, with intense raspberry, cassis and boysenberry reduction notes pumping along, inlaid with a graphite edge and backed by waves of roasted apple wood, anise and fruitcake. Yet as large-scale as this is, it’s still harnessed by a fine, chalky minerality through the finish. "Wow" wine.
Wine Advocate: 100
The 2016 Pavie a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Very deep purple-black in color, it needs a little coaxing to begin, slowly unfurling to reveal a fragrant perfume of violets, chocolate-covered cherries, crushed blueberries and eucalyptus over a core of preserved plums, kirsch, black raspberries and crème de cassis plus hints of licorice and chargrilled meat. Full-bodied and built like a brick house, it has a solid foundation of firm, super ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness interknit with the black fruit preserves and minerally layers, finishing very long and very decadent. Superb!
Decanter: 97
One of the most thrilling surprises of the vintage, here a new approach to a more finely-wrought Pavie has collided with a vintage that has natural freshness and acidity. The result shows the potential of this terroir. Without a doubt the best Pavie that I have ever tasted, and one where I have not had to say, 'yes, but...'. Let's not pretend that it's night and day from the old regime, but nor should it be - Pavie needs to keep its signature black fruited glamour and intensity, as that is part of what delivered its new status, but to my mind this is a far better balance than in the past. The blend is 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, the lowest amount of Merlot since Perse arrived. This still has reams of intense fruit, but the tannins are not immovable as they have been in some years, and pulses of minerality leap up on the finish to make your mouth water. Gorgeous. It is also fascinating to learn the technical details that have helped bring out the vintage character - besides the lower Merlot content, there were 10 days less maceration than last year and only 70% new oak. Drinking Window 2027 - 2050.
Wine Enthusiast: 98
This is a restrained Pavie, elegant and with great fruit. The tannins are there but certainly not harsh or too dense. It has great blackberry fruit and beautiful tannins. It is perfumed and stylish, with a great future.
Vinous: 100
Seamless, sumptuous and super-expressive, the 2016 Pavie is a real head-turner. It will be years before the 2016 is ready to show all it's got. Even so, it is an absolutely stunning wine. The 2016 is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, which is the most Franc that has ever gone into the Grand Vin. That gives the wine striking aromatic nuance to play off the exquisite, layered fruit. The 2016 is an exceptional wine by any measure. In a word: magnificent!
James Suckling: 100
This is more compressed and tighter than the 2015. Its full-bodied, but very tight and focused. So linear and long. Love the gorgeous finesse. Goes on for minutes. All about finesse...new profile.