Pavie 2016

The wine in this vintage

2016 is one of Bordeaux's greatest vintages: a wet winter and spring, followed by a scorching, dry summer and welcome rain in mid-September, produced wines of extraordinary balance between concentration and freshness. Pavie 2016 also marks a stylistic shift towards greater finesse: cassis, blackberry, cherry, violet, graphite and cedar on the nose; a deep, precise palate with very fine tannins and a long, mineral finish. Wine Spectator awarded it 97 points and Jancis Robinson 18/20. Already expressive, it has a long evolution ahead and can be cellared with confidence for many years.

The producer · Château Pavie

Château Pavie is one of Saint-Émilion's oldest and most prestigious estates, with vines planted since Roman times on the slopes south-east of the medieval town. Its roughly forty hectares run uninterrupted from the limestone plateau down to the foot of the Côte Pavie, across limestone, clay and sandy soils that give the wine power, structure and a fine mineral streak. In 1998 the estate was bought by Gérard Perse, who undertook a thorough renovation of vineyard and cellar, with parcel-by-parcel selection, low yields and a new winery inaugurated in 2013. These efforts were rewarded in 2012 with promotion to Premier Grand Cru Classé A, the summit of the Saint-Émilion classification. The blend is led by Merlot, completed by Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Initially opulent and concentrated, the style has evolved over the past decade towards greater freshness and precision, while retaining the depth and very long ageing potential that make Pavie one of Bordeaux's great reds.

Critics' scores

• 97 Wine Spectator
• 96 Wine Enthusiast
• 18/20 Jancis Robinson

Technical details

Producer

Château Pavie

Region

Bordeaux

Country

Francia

Type

Rosso

Vintage

2016

When to drink

Hold, still evolving

Critics' average

96.5/100

Sizes

75 cl, Magnum 150 cl, Case of 6 × 75 cl

eWibe code

0120116