| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Gérard Perse has created a modern winery of marble, stainless steel and new oak barrels and, with very low yields, and a magnificently situated vineyard on the south-facing slopes of St Emilion. Since 1998 Pavie has been rewarded with a string of high scores from the critics and has now attained Premier Grand Cru Classé 'A' status. The vineyard is now up to 42 hectares with La Clusiere incorporated in 2002 and the recent addition (in 2022) of Pavie Decesse (3 hectares) and Bellevue Mondotte (2 hectares) into the blend. There is also more Cabernet than before and the oak is less toasted and no longer 100% new.
The 2024 Pavie is only 51% Merlot with 32% Cabernet Franc and 17% Cabernet Sauvignon. 72% new oak and 14% alcohol. This was achieved by a stringent green harvest, half a degree of chaptalisation and a low yield of 24 hl/ha.
The 2024 Pavie was cropped at 24 hl/ha from September 27 to October 9, and 65% was matured in new barrels. This has an attractive bouquet of black cherries, bilberry, cassis and light violet scents—not as complex as some vintages of Pavie but, unlike the Monbousquet or Clos des Lunelles, its oak is proportionate to its fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins to frame its layered black fruit as graphite inflections emanate from the Cabernet components. The 2024 is fresh with pleasing linearity, even if it just lacks a bit of amplitude on the finish. Give this Saint-Émilion three or four years in bottle. Drink: 2030-2065
Unsurprisingly Pavie is one of the deepest-coloured wines of the vintage. Saturated purple colour. The nose has a stong bonfire note and a ribena-like fruit profile. This is a powerful and dark-fruited wine, yet it also shows a strong note of green herbs. The tannins are arresting and firm, taking hold of the sweet fruit to give this wine austerity despite its generosity. This feels a touch over extracted to me, but with the right elevage it could well knit together.
A very precise Pavie, this has a compacted palate of blue fruit as well as raspberries and hints of sandalwood. Medium-bodied with a tight, linear finish. Racy and fresh at the end. A blend of 51% merlot, 32% cabernet franc and 17% cabernet sauvignon.
Deep garnet-purple colored. Comes barreling out with ready-to-go notes of red currant jelly, fresh black plums, and boysenberries, plus suggestions of tilled soil, cardamom, black olives, and lavender oil. Medium-bodied, the palate is tightly wound with intense red and black berry layers, supported by firm, fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and minerally. Pure energy.
51% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, aging in French oak barrels, 65% new. pH 3.69.
There is no better way to discover the power of the Pavie terroir than to see how it has peformed in 2024 - a naturally cooler and slimmer vintage, and yet you still have a wine here that has depth, energy, intensity and concentration, squid ink, fennel, oyster shell salinity. The fruit is sappy, for sure a brighter and slimmer version of Pavie compared to many vintages but this is still unmistakeable estate signature. 42ha in production, now including Pavie Decesse and Bellevue Mondotte (as of 2022). 24hl/h yield, September 27 to October 9, 3.69 pH. 65% new oak, with lower toast.
The 2024 Pavie is potent and explosive to the core. Blackberry, espresso, licorice, cloves and leather are dialed up to the maximum. The 2024 is an imposing, brawny Pavie that is likely to need a bit of time to be at its most expressive. Today, the 2024 is quite the bruiser, especially in terms of its tannin profile. Like so many wines in 2024, the balance here is on the razor's edge, suggesting that élevage will be critical, especially in terms of preserving the wine's fruit. Aging is 65% new oak and 35% once-used barrels, in other words, on the lower side in terms of new oak at this address. Tasted two times. 2034 - 2054
