Pavie 2019

St Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé A

Units	Size	Case size	GBP Price:	Quantities	Buy

Tasting Notes
The 2019 Pavie has a very pure and perfumed bouquet with black cherries, kirsch and cassis fruit, controlled and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, fresh with fine salinity, slightly granular towards the finish that feels cohesive and opulent. In the glass, it begins to show just a bit of alcohol on the finish, prompting me to knock a point off. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. Score: 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2055 01 February 2023
The 2019 Pavie was sent directly from the château to my home in mid-January. Given the freedom to decant, I decided to examine this Saint-Émilion, the only "A" left standing at time of writing, over a 24-hour period. It has a very controlled and focused nose, one that completely contradicts those that still claim that somehow Pavie is overripe or picked too late. This is delineated, clean and precise – dare I say, almost "classic" in style. Those blackberry and incense aromas that I remarked upon from the barrel sample remain in situ, and the floral component is enhanced, suggesting iris rather than violet. The palate is medium-bodied, yet full in the mouth, the tannins lacquering though not overwhelming. The oak is neatly integrated, building very nicely, and the copious black fruit is laced with graphite and tobacco courtesy of the Cabernets, which, lest we forget, constitute half the 2019 blend. I noticed how, after three hours, the tannins become more prominent, toughening up a little, the Cabernets edging out the Merlot and lending more of a Left Bank-like personality. Then, after 24 hours, the wine mellows and becomes plush, putting quite a distance between itself and the more ostentatious Pavie-Decesse. It shuts down a little on the finish, a timely reminder that this Pavie will need plenty of cellaring. But this is going to be an awesome Saint-Émilion. Score: 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2060 01 February 2022
The 2019 Pavie was picked from 30 September to 11 October at 29hl/ha. It is initially exubertant, feisty on the nose, a bit like the Pavie-Decesse. Allowing my sample an hour in the glass, it evolves more grace and composure with scents of blackberry, briary, incense and iris flowers. The oak beautifully integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, quite an edgy line of acidity, touches of graphite infusing the very pure black fruit on the satin-textured finish. This is undoubtedly a very impressive, sauve Pavie destined for long-term drinking. Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2024-2060 16 June 2020
The 2019 Pavie is incredibly elegant right out of the gate. Aromas of crushed rose petal, cedar, mint and sweet pipe tobacco are immediately alluring. The 2019 is sensual and inviting, with no excess weight and fabulous overall balance. Blood orange, red/purplish fruit, cinnamon and mint develop effortlessly. Time in the glass brings out Cabernet Franc aromatics and structure, leading to a feeling of vertical intensity that is hugely appealing. Score: 97 Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2029-2049 01 February 2022
The 2019 Pavie is a showstopper. A wine of soaring intensity and grandeur, Pavie is striking from the very first taste. A rush of red/purplish berry fruit, mocha, dried flower and lavender builds effortlessly. The purity of the flavors is just striking. Racy, deep and sensual through to the finish, Pavie is magnificent. What a wine. Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com 01 June 2020
Layered, powerful, supple tannins, full of nuanced liquorice, cocoa bean, espresso, cigar box, grilled almonds, tar, bitter mandarin and black truffle that are packed in tightly against cassis fruits. This has been well handled over ageing, and feels contained, carefully holding the naturally powerful terroir of this site in place. 80% new oak. A great Pavie. Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2029-2050 26 January 2022
Excellent quality Pavie, rippling with black fruits. Notably more subdued than in some vintages as the team looks to reframe just slightly the bulging muscles of the past, and as the high levels of Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc make an impact. It takes a moment to adjust to, but when you sit with it, you feel a rippling frame to the wine, and a juicy central core. Fleshy cassis and blackberry fruits, slate walls and black truffle overlay. Is going to age extremely well. A yield of 29hl/ha. 3.55pH. Score: 96 Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2027 - 2044 10 May 2020
The grand vin, the 2019 Château Pavie is based on 50% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, continuing the trend toward less Merlot in the final blend. Brought up in 80% new French oak (this has also decreased over the past handful of years), it reveals an inky purple/blue hue as well as a fresh, vivid bouquet crème de cassis, toasted spice, violets, chocolate, and graphite. Just a rich, sexy, full-bodied wine, it stays straight and focused on the palate, with silky tannins, perfectly integrated acidity, and flawless balance. It's going to be drinkable with just short-term cellaring yet still evolve beautifully for 30 years. Score: 97 - 99 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2021-2052 06 November 2020
The 2019 Pavie is a blend of 50% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested from the 30th of September to the 11th of October. The yields this year were 35 hectoliters per hectare, and the alcohol came in at 14.73%, while the pH was 3.55 (remarkably low!). Very deep garnet-purple in color, the nose opens with a beguiling array of intertwined earth and black fruit scents: baked plums, black cherry preserves, tilled soil, black truffles, mossy tree bark and mulberries with nuances of allspice, clove oil, espresso and cedar chest. Full-bodied, densely packed and with a rock-solid structure, the constrained flavor layers are just waiting to explode; it's framed by firm, exquisitely ripe, rounded tannins and this vineyard's signature freshness, finishing with epic length and depth. Quaking with latent power and shimmering with a kaleidoscope of electric flavors, this could only be Pavie. Score: 97 - 100 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 10 June 2020
This is superb with great length and quality tannins. It’s full-bodied with intense, polished tannins and great length. Tar and black fruit. Goes on for minutes. On and on. We will see which is better: 2019 or 2018. Score: 98 - 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 28 May 2020

Tasting Notes

The 2019 Pavie has a very pure and perfumed bouquet with black cherries, kirsch and cassis fruit, controlled and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, fresh with fine salinity, slightly granular towards the finish that feels cohesive and opulent. In the glass, it begins to show just a bit of alcohol on the finish, prompting me to knock a point off. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

Score: 94

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2055 01 February 2023

The 2019 Pavie was sent directly from the château to my home in mid-January. Given the freedom to decant, I decided to examine this Saint-Émilion, the only "A" left standing at time of writing, over a 24-hour period. It has a very controlled and focused nose, one that completely contradicts those that still claim that somehow Pavie is overripe or picked too late. This is delineated, clean and precise – dare I say, almost "classic" in style. Those blackberry and incense aromas that I remarked upon from the barrel sample remain in situ, and the floral component is enhanced, suggesting iris rather than violet. The palate is medium-bodied, yet full in the mouth, the tannins lacquering though not overwhelming. The oak is neatly integrated, building very nicely, and the copious black fruit is laced with graphite and tobacco courtesy of the Cabernets, which, lest we forget, constitute half the 2019 blend. I noticed how, after three hours, the tannins become more prominent, toughening up a little, the Cabernets edging out the Merlot and lending more of a Left Bank-like personality. Then, after 24 hours, the wine mellows and becomes plush, putting quite a distance between itself and the more ostentatious Pavie-Decesse. It shuts down a little on the finish, a timely reminder that this Pavie will need plenty of cellaring. But this is going to be an awesome Saint-Émilion.

Score: 96

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2060 01 February 2022

The 2019 Pavie was picked from 30 September to 11 October at 29hl/ha. It is initially exubertant, feisty on the nose, a bit like the Pavie-Decesse. Allowing my sample an hour in the glass, it evolves more grace and composure with scents of blackberry, briary, incense and iris flowers. The oak beautifully integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, quite an edgy line of acidity, touches of graphite infusing the very pure black fruit on the satin-textured finish. This is undoubtedly a very impressive, sauve Pavie destined for long-term drinking.

Score: 96 - 98

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2024-2060 16 June 2020

The 2019 Pavie is incredibly elegant right out of the gate. Aromas of crushed rose petal, cedar, mint and sweet pipe tobacco are immediately alluring. The 2019 is sensual and inviting, with no excess weight and fabulous overall balance. Blood orange, red/purplish fruit, cinnamon and mint develop effortlessly. Time in the glass brings out Cabernet Franc aromatics and structure, leading to a feeling of vertical intensity that is hugely appealing.

Score: 97

Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2029-2049 01 February 2022

The 2019 Pavie is a showstopper. A wine of soaring intensity and grandeur, Pavie is striking from the very first taste. A rush of red/purplish berry fruit, mocha, dried flower and lavender builds effortlessly. The purity of the flavors is just striking. Racy, deep and sensual through to the finish, Pavie is magnificent. What a wine.

Score: 95 - 97

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com 01 June 2020

Layered, powerful, supple tannins, full of nuanced liquorice, cocoa bean, espresso, cigar box, grilled almonds, tar, bitter mandarin and black truffle that are packed in tightly against cassis fruits. This has been well handled over ageing, and feels contained, carefully holding the naturally powerful terroir of this site in place. 80% new oak. A great Pavie.

Score: 96

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2029-2050 26 January 2022

Excellent quality Pavie, rippling with black fruits. Notably more subdued than in some vintages as the team looks to reframe just slightly the bulging muscles of the past, and as the high levels of Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc make an impact. It takes a moment to adjust to, but when you sit with it, you feel a rippling frame to the wine, and a juicy central core. Fleshy cassis and blackberry fruits, slate walls and black truffle overlay. Is going to age extremely well. A yield of 29hl/ha. 3.55pH.

Score: 96

Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2027 - 2044 10 May 2020

The grand vin, the 2019 Château Pavie is based on 50% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, continuing the trend toward less Merlot in the final blend. Brought up in 80% new French oak (this has also decreased over the past handful of years), it reveals an inky purple/blue hue as well as a fresh, vivid bouquet crème de cassis, toasted spice, violets, chocolate, and graphite. Just a rich, sexy, full-bodied wine, it stays straight and focused on the palate, with silky tannins, perfectly integrated acidity, and flawless balance. It's going to be drinkable with just short-term cellaring yet still evolve beautifully for 30 years.

Score: 97 - 99

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2021-2052 06 November 2020

The 2019 Pavie is a blend of 50% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested from the 30th of September to the 11th of October. The yields this year were 35 hectoliters per hectare, and the alcohol came in at 14.73%, while the pH was 3.55 (remarkably low!). Very deep garnet-purple in color, the nose opens with a beguiling array of intertwined earth and black fruit scents: baked plums, black cherry preserves, tilled soil, black truffles, mossy tree bark and mulberries with nuances of allspice, clove oil, espresso and cedar chest. Full-bodied, densely packed and with a rock-solid structure, the constrained flavor layers are just waiting to explode; it's framed by firm, exquisitely ripe, rounded tannins and this vineyard's signature freshness, finishing with epic length and depth. Quaking with latent power and shimmering with a kaleidoscope of electric flavors, this could only be Pavie.

Score: 97 - 100

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 10 June 2020

This is superb with great length and quality tannins. It’s full-bodied with intense, polished tannins and great length. Tar and black fruit. Goes on for minutes. On and on. We will see which is better: 2019 or 2018.

Score: 98 - 99

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 28 May 2020

Your Lists & Checkout

New Arrivals

Advanced Search

wine regions

quick links

Pavie 2019

St Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé A

search wines

Full wine List

RSS feeds

wine regions

join our mailing list