Pavie 2008

St Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé A

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Tasting Notes
(70% merlot, 20% cabernet franc and 10% cabernet sauvignon) Saturated deep ruby. Sexy, nuanced nose combines black raspberry, graphite, mocha and flowers. Thick, sweet and powerfully concentrated; wonderfully rich, broad, seamless wine with fruit of steel. Flavors of kirsch, licorice and minerals saturate every square millimeter of the mouth. Huge, broad tannins will carry this outsized wine through at least a couple decades of life in bottle. Score: 95 Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar 01 July 2011
A remarkable success in this vintage, Pavie’s 92 acre vineyard situated on the limestone soils of the spectacular south-facing Cote Pavie (one of the greatest terroirs of Bordeaux) was cropped at 30 hectoliters per hectare. A blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, with an atypical (for a 2008) alcohol level of 14.5% that is higher than in its 2010 counterpart, the opaque purple-colored 2008 exhibits sweet, smoky barbecue notes intermixed with creme de cassis, black cherry, toast and crushed chalk. Deep, intense and full-bodied with surprisingly civilized tannins for such a young Pavie, it reveals wonderful breadth of flavor, a savory texture and a layered mouthfeel. It should drink beautifully in 2-4 years and keep for 25 or more. Score: 95 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2013-2028 03 May 2011
Is the 2008 Pavie superior to the 2005 and 2000? While that is impossible to know at this stage of its development, it will certainly be one of the three greatest Pavies made under the administration of Chantal and Gerard Perse. Cropped at a very low 30 hectoliters per hectare, the final blend is a classic Pavie combination of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The 14.5% natural alcohol is the highest ever achieved at this estate. The inky/blue/purple color is followed by a wine with a concentrated, full-bodied texture, a layered mouthfeel, fresh acids, abundant tannin, and a 50-60-year evolution ahead of it. Compared to the enormous, but backward 2005, the 2008 seems even less evolved at a similar stage. Sweet creme de cassis, black cherry, licorice, and smoky barbecue characteristics combine with a liqueur of minerality that resonates from this terroir that is considered to be among the top dozen or so vineyard sites in Bordeaux. This remarkable offering, from a person who has, thankfully, ignored the petty jealousy and unfair criticism of his administration, is another St.-Emilion for your children’s children. For the fact-mongers, this cuvee was hand-harvested between October 13-21, with the grapes put in small plastic containers. Everything is moved by gravity flow, and there is no fining or filtration following a slightly longer than normal aging (28-30 months) in oak casks. (96-98+) Score: 96 - 98 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: n/a 01 January 1900
Inky with barely a rim. Dark and firm, dry but with more freshness and the tannins a little more melted than in previous vintages. Gerard Perse described as 'more feminine' than in the last few years, though I think he must like his women to have worked out! Lovely dark fruit. Roasted but not cooked. Dark and intense but much more. Savoury and concentrated but not the bitterness of some previous vintages. (17.5+ Points) Score: 17 - 18 Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2014-2028 15 May 2009
This is very Porty, with lots of fruit and richness. Big and powerful. A blockbuster style. Score: 92 - 95 James Suckling, Wine Spectator 01 April 2009
A blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, cropped at 32hl/ha and aged in 65% new oak, 35% one-year wooden barrels, the ’08 Pavie has a super-ripe, cassis-driven nose, hoi sin, spice and a touch of sloe. The palate is full-bodied with very fine tannins, lovely caressing texture, good acidity, just a little more refined than say Bellevue-Mondotte. Very pure on the finish although those tannins linger longer afterwards. Excellent - a ravishing Pavie. Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 01 April 2009

Tasting Notes

(70% merlot, 20% cabernet franc and 10% cabernet sauvignon) Saturated deep ruby. Sexy, nuanced nose combines black raspberry, graphite, mocha and flowers. Thick, sweet and powerfully concentrated; wonderfully rich, broad, seamless wine with fruit of steel. Flavors of kirsch, licorice and minerals saturate every square millimeter of the mouth. Huge, broad tannins will carry this outsized wine through at least a couple decades of life in bottle.

Score: 95

Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar 01 July 2011

A remarkable success in this vintage, Pavie’s 92 acre vineyard situated on the limestone soils of the spectacular south-facing Cote Pavie (one of the greatest terroirs of Bordeaux) was cropped at 30 hectoliters per hectare. A blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, with an atypical (for a 2008) alcohol level of 14.5% that is higher than in its 2010 counterpart, the opaque purple-colored 2008 exhibits sweet, smoky barbecue notes intermixed with creme de cassis, black cherry, toast and crushed chalk. Deep, intense and full-bodied with surprisingly civilized tannins for such a young Pavie, it reveals wonderful breadth of flavor, a savory texture and a layered mouthfeel. It should drink beautifully in 2-4 years and keep for 25 or more.

Score: 95

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2013-2028 03 May 2011

Is the 2008 Pavie superior to the 2005 and 2000? While that is impossible to know at this stage of its development, it will certainly be one of the three greatest Pavies made under the administration of Chantal and Gerard Perse. Cropped at a very low 30 hectoliters per hectare, the final blend is a classic Pavie combination of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The 14.5% natural alcohol is the highest ever achieved at this estate. The inky/blue/purple color is followed by a wine with a concentrated, full-bodied texture, a layered mouthfeel, fresh acids, abundant tannin, and a 50-60-year evolution ahead of it. Compared to the enormous, but backward 2005, the 2008 seems even less evolved at a similar stage. Sweet creme de cassis, black cherry, licorice, and smoky barbecue characteristics combine with a liqueur of minerality that resonates from this terroir that is considered to be among the top dozen or so vineyard sites in Bordeaux. This remarkable offering, from a person who has, thankfully, ignored the petty jealousy and unfair criticism of his administration, is another St.-Emilion for your children’s children. For the fact-mongers, this cuvee was hand-harvested between October 13-21, with the grapes put in small plastic containers. Everything is moved by gravity flow, and there is no fining or filtration following a slightly longer than normal aging (28-30 months) in oak casks. (96-98+)

Score: 96 - 98

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: n/a 01 January 1900

Inky with barely a rim. Dark and firm, dry but with more freshness and the tannins a little more melted than in previous vintages. Gerard Perse described as 'more feminine' than in the last few years, though I think he must like his women to have worked out! Lovely dark fruit. Roasted but not cooked. Dark and intense but much more. Savoury and concentrated but not the bitterness of some previous vintages. (17.5+ Points)

Score: 17 - 18

Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2014-2028 15 May 2009

This is very Porty, with lots of fruit and richness. Big and powerful. A blockbuster style.

Score: 92 - 95

James Suckling, Wine Spectator 01 April 2009

A blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, cropped at 32hl/ha and aged in 65% new oak, 35% one-year wooden barrels, the ’08 Pavie has a super-ripe, cassis-driven nose, hoi sin, spice and a touch of sloe. The palate is full-bodied with very fine tannins, lovely caressing texture, good acidity, just a little more refined than say Bellevue-Mondotte. Very pure on the finish although those tannins linger longer afterwards. Excellent - a ravishing Pavie.

Score: 93 - 95

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 01 April 2009

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