Chateau Pavie, Saint Emilion, 1st Grand Cru A Classe 2018

Chateau Pavie Saint Emilion 1st Grand Cru A Classe 2018

First Growth A since 2012 (Premier Grand Cru Classe A). Classified as Premier Grand Cru Classe B from 1954 to 2012.

Critic tasting notes: (2018 vintage) 

"Dark ruby, purple reflections, subtle ochre brightening on the rim. Notes of oak, nougat, herbal spice and black berry fruit. Full-bodied, energetic, complex, well-integrated, supporting tannins, mineral, pronounced fruit core, salty and grippy, great length and enormous ageing potential. Suggestive red wine that should age in peace for a few more years." - Falstaff (100/100)

"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." - Robert Parker The Wine Advocate, Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown (99/100)

"Black ink in color, this could be the most intense wine of the vintage. The intensity is in the color, the palate and in the nose with its licorice, smoke, espresso, crushed rocks, stones, black, red and blue fruit profile. With the weight of dry Port, the wine manages to remain in balance. The fruits are perfectly ripe, expressing purity, length and an incredible depth of flavor and minerality that never wants to quit. There is so much going on here, the wine demands over a decade in the cellar before it begins to unfurl. The wine blends 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon." - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider (99/100)

"Tons of ripe plum and blackberry fruit on the nose and, with aeration, licorice and old balsamic-vinegar notes also develop. Rich and beautifully balanced, with surprising elegance for the very warm vintage. Bold and quite tannic finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2025. Château Quintus vertical tasting. SP." - James Suckling

Classification

Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A

Drinking Window

2025-2059

Winemaking

The way Château Pavie is fermented depends on the vintage. It is kept on the skins for three weeks in 20 temperature-controlled wooden vats. Malolactic fermentation in barrel.

Vineyard Notes

Geological characteristics Château Pavie has diverse terroirs: - Terroir typical of the Saint-Emilion limestone plateau composed of clay-limestone soil on an asteriated limestone subsoil. Located at an altitude of approximately 85 meters above the Dordogne River. - Terroir called « milieu de côte » (middle of the slope) located approximately 55 meters above the Dordogne and composed of very fine brown limestone.

Vintage Notes

This vintage shows all the characteristics of maturity, freshness and elegance typical of the Pavie plateau. The brilliant purple color is deep and dense, full of promise with the precise blueberry highlights indicative of the vintage. Concentrated fruit aromas of wonderfully bright black currant and blueberry are supported with a good dose of oak. Initial aromas are juicy and generous, in harmony with spices like licorice; there is toasted oak, too, as well as youthful floral notes typical of the Pavie plateau. The first impression in the mouth is fresh. The mid-palate's tannic presence is accompanied by a certain lively freshness from the well-balanced mouth-watering acidity; the result is a texture and density that is simply remarkable. The oak is well integrated and still dominant, but experience has shown that the wine's fruit will emerge. The finish is smooth, rich and opulent with great length.

Ageing

18 month