Château Pavie Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Premier Grand Cru Classé, Bordeaux - 2012

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The 37-hectare, Premier Grand Cru Classé A Pavie estate has been in the hands of the Perse family since 1998 and sits on three different levels. On the southern slope of the Saint-Émilion hill, it is one of the largest in the appellation, containing a mix of 60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. Enhanced by a low yield approach and sophisticated facilities, the wines are highly individual and elegant, displaying a comprehensive level of complexity.

"Bottled under a black label to celebrate Pavie’s addition to the Grand Cru Classé “A” classification, the 2012 Chateau Pavie is a brilliant wine, and readers with bottles in their cellars are in for a treat. From a bottle purchased in the US, this deep purple-hued beauty takes plenty of air (it showed best the day after opening) to show at its best yet offers incredible notes of blackcurrants, blackberries, scorched earth, graphite, leafy herbs, violets, and background oak. Rich, full-bodied, and powerful, it nevertheless has incredible elegance and purity, with loads of silky tannins, terrific freshness, and a blockbuster finish. I continue to believe 2012 was a great, great vintage for the Right Bank, and this just adds fuel to the fire. This beauty is approachable today yet will mostly likely merit a triple-digit rating in 5-7 years and will keep for 30-40 years, given its impeccable balance and depth of fruit." (6/2020)

98 points Jeb Dunnuck