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Pavie 2018

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyMerlot/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon

Gérard Perse has created a magnificent modern winery of marble, stainless steel and new oak barrels and, with very low yields, has been making wines of enormous concentration and power. Since 1998 Pavie has been rewarded with a string of high scores from the critics and has now attained Premier Cru Classe 'A' status. The 37 hectare vineyard contains vines of an average age of 48 years. In 2018 the new oak has been toned down a little to 80%. The yield was 38 hl/ha and the wine comes in at 14.48 degrees. 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon.

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Label

Tasting Notes

Impressive aromas of pure, crushed blackberries and brambleberries with red and black licorice and black olives, as well as incense, following through to a full body with round, creamy tannins and lots of fruit. Yet, it’s tight and reserved at the finish. Needs three or four years to open and start showing its true character. Powerful and linear. Cellar-bound. Try after 2026.

99
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2021

The 2018 Pavie is deep garnet in color with a touch of purple. Notes of plum preserves, baked blackberries, and molten licorice storm from the glass, leading to a savory undercurrent of black pepper, tapenade, and wild sage. Big, rich, and densely laden, the full-bodied palate is chock full of black and blue fruit preserves, supported by firm, velvety tannins and gripping tension, finishing long and electric.

98
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, December 2023

Tasted blind at Southwold 2018. Saturated purple colour. Inky black fruit, clove and black pepper form the seductive nose. This follows on the palate, which is big, with chunky tannins and very ripe cassis fruit. Though it has a blockbuster style that pushes the limits, nothing is quite over the top. The length and expansiveness of the finish promises more. Pavie remains a full-blooded wine, but this style has greater care and balance.

95+
Thomas Parker MW, Farr Vintners, January 2022

Not so long ago, Pavie would have rejoiced in the massive tannic and alcohol potential of this vintage, but they really have done a great job practicing restraint. It doesn't sacrifice Pavie's power but of all the wines in this particular lineup it's the one that carries the weight of the vintage the best, building power by stealth rather than grabbing it from you. This is great quality, with inky depths to the black fruits, accompanied by liquorice and chocolate, and the beautiful salty lick on the finish really completes the picture - your tongue just licks the wall and it's highly enjoyable! Harvest began on 26 September, later than some in the appellation, with a 38hl/ha yield. Although extraction was kept gentle, with the grapes given a week-long cold soak before fermentation at no more than 28°C, then a five-week maceration (longer than some, but these guys used to do eight weeks or more!), they have achieved a high tannin count of 97IPT and 3.58pH.

Drinking Window 2028 - 2042

96
Jane Anson, Decanter.com, April 2019

Tasted blind. Blackish crimson. Intense, bloody and complex on the nose. Really fills the palate! But has delicacy too. How does it manage this? Just such lift and grace. Masses of tannin almost buried underneath. 14.5%
Drink 2027 – 2050

19
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, February 2022

Black almost to the rim. Very ripe black fruit with a note of wild elderberry. So much tannin, your mouth closes in but the whole has balance even with these massive tannins because the fruit is extremely concentrated. The freshness of a limestone site, and the tannins are fine even if incredibly dense. Gums your mouth at the moment. You have to be patient and like this style of wine to enjoy this.
Drink 2030-2042

17
Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2019

Opaque purple in the glass. This is thick and rich on the nose, with clove, cinnamon and redolent blackberry and damson. The palate is incredibly powerful, with heady black fruits and sweet cassis and kirsch. Despite this opulence, there is some harmony from acidity. The tannins build through the mid-palate, with increasingly extracted, chewy structure building to the finish. This is long and very sweet, smoky and crunchy in equal measure. Not for the faint-hearted, but the quality of the vineyard does still bring balance to the wine.

94
Farr Vintners, Farr Tasting, April 2019

Possibly the wine of the vintage, the 2018 Château Pavie is comprised of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon that comes from this magical hillside terroir just outside of Saint-Émilion. Thrilling notes of crème de cassis, crushed rocks, graphite, smoked herbs, and an almost Hermitage-like minerality all emerge from this young, primordial, viscerally thrilling wine that's got perfection written all over it. Massively textured, full-bodied, ultra-fine and flawlessly balanced, it shows how to pair elegance with richness and power. Bravo! It’s going to need 7-8 years of bottle age and keep for 3-4 decades.

98/100
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, May 2019

Gorgeous from start to finish, offering lush layers of raspberry, cassis and plum sauce flavors entwined with licorice, apple wood and rooibos tea notes. There's a serious grip through the finish but this is focused and pure in feel. The encore of fruit detail at the very end is impressive.

96/99
James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, March 2019
Read more tasting notes...

This is a very pretty and structured Pavie with a beautiful elegance and depth. Full body and a great core of elegant fruit, surrounded by very fine tannins. Very polished. Extremely long. Finesse with power.

98/99
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2019

The 2018 Pavie is a blend of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine has a 3.58 pH and 14.48% alcohol. Very deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with a fabulously expressive nose of crème de cassis, baked plums and blueberry preserves, leading to an impressive array of nuances, featuring notions of dark chocolate, camphor, licorice, rose petals and fertile loam, plus hints of crushed rocks and iron ore. The rich, full-bodied palate offers layer upon layer of opulent black and blue fruits with loads of exotic spice sparks and pretty floral and mineral accents, supported by firm, super plush tannins and remarkable tension, finishing with epic length and depth. This could only be Pavie. It makes for a seductively stylish glass now, but patience will be rewarded if it is afforded 5-7 years in bottle, at least, then drink it over the next 30+ years. Drink: 2026 - 2056

99
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, March 2021

The 2018 Pavie is composed of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested October 1-10 with yields of 38 hectoliters per hectare. The wine has a 3.58 pH and 14.48% alcohol. Very deep purple-black in color, the nose starts off quiet and stern, swiftly growing exponentially in the glass to reveal powerful plum preserves, fruitcake, coffee beans, smoked meats and black olives scents with emerging nuances of roses, hoisin, molten chocolate and licorice plus a waft of candied violets. WOW—the palate explodes with waves of black fruit preserves, exotic spices and savory chocolate, framed by very firm, super ripe, velvety tannins and an electric backbone of freshness, finishing with epic length and energy. Amazing, singular wine—it could only be Pavie.

97/100
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (April 2019), April 2019
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.