CHATEAU PAVIE 1er Grand Cru Classe A, Saint-Emilion 2012 Bottle

Description

IN BRIEF
Château Pavie 2012 is a powerful, refined Saint-Émilion First Grand Cru Classé A. Deep garnet with a brick rim, it offers black cherry compote, smashed blackberry, black plum and cassis, over exotic spice, dark chocolate, violets and graphite; tertiary notes of cured meat, leather and undergrowth add complexity. The palate is densely textured and muscular yet integrated: ripe dark fruit yields to a firm tannic spine, balanced acidity and a long mid-palate of liquorice, coffee bean and tobacco leaf. The finish is persistent with bittersweet cocoa, dried herb and a stony mineral seam. Drink 2022–2040; serve 16–18°C, decant. Matches slow-roasted rib of beef, saddle of lamb, venison or truffle dishes. Exceptional now, and will reward patience.

ABOUT THIS WINE
The 2012 growing season in Bordeaux was uneven and testing, with spring frost in places and a warm, dry summer that forced exacting vineyard decisions; at Pavie careful sorting and ripe picking produced concentrated berries. Château Pavie 2012, a blend dominated by Merlot with substantial Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, shows the hallmark opulence of this Saint-Émilion First Grand Cru Classé A parcel yet with tertiary depth after a decade in bottle. Vinification favours extended maceration and warm fermentation to extract colour and ripe tannin, followed by élevage in new and well seasoned French oak to lend structure, spice and a polished frame.

The wine pours a deep garnet with garnet brick at the rim. The nose is intense and layered: black cherry compote and smashed blackberry lead, followed by black plum, cassis and a generous sweep of exotic spice and dark chocolate from oak influence. With time in the glass savoury tertiary notes appear — cured meat, leather and undergrowth — alongside a perfumed lift of violets and graphite that keeps the aromatics lively.

On the palate the 2012 is densely textured and muscular yet admirably integrated. Ripe dark fruit floods the entry, then a firm spine of tannin and mineral extraction gives definition and drive. Acidity is balanced and carries flavours through a long, resonant mid palate where liquorice, coffee bean and a suggestion of tobacco leaf add complexity. The finish is persistent, showing bittersweet cocoa, dried herb and a stony mineral seam that speaks to the limestone terraces of Saint-Émilion.

Suggested drinking window 2022 to 2040. Serve at 16 to 18°C and decant before drinking. Food pairings include slow roasted rib of beef with rosemary, saddle of lamb with anchovy and thyme crust, venison loin with juniper, mature comté or aged cheddar, and rich mushroom and truffle dishes. Overall this Pavie 2012 combines power and refinement and will continue to evolve rewarding tertiary development over the next one to two decades.

JAMES SUCKLING 95 points
What a gorgeous wine with violet and sandalwood character on the nose and palate. Medium to full body. Fine tannins. Love it now.

THE WINE ADVOCATE 95 points
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Drink Date: 2020 - 2052
The 2012 Pavie celebrates its reclassification and upgrade to Class A St.-Emilion by sporting a new black label with gold print. Fortunately, every Pavie has benefitted since Perse began a complete makeover of this estate in 1998. From 47-year-old vines, the 2012 has an inky purple color, judicious toasty oak in the nose interwoven with copious blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, Christmas spices, as well as licorice and graphite. Full-bodied, rich and moderately tannic, it will require 5-7 years of bottle age but should drink well for 20-30 years. Kudos to Chantal and Gerard Perse for their extraordinary commitment to quality, which is so evident in this more challenging vintage than some of the great years like 2009 and 2010. Very low yields of 28 hectoliters per hectare were obtained from this 92-acre estate.
Published: Apr 30, 2015

VINOUS 95 points
The 2012 Pavie has been impressive on the two occasions I have tasted it so far. Exotic scents of graphite, smoke, new leather and dark fruit open up first. Deep, intense and rich, especially within the context of the year, the 2012 finds greater finesse and nuance with time in bottle. Pavie is a rare 2012 that is going to require time in bottle, as the tannins are imposing at this early stage. I imagine the 2012 will be divine in another few years. Even today, it is exceptionally well-balanced and harmonious in the modern-day flamboyant Pavie style. The 2012 is 60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon that spend 28 months in barrel.
Antonio Galloni

WINE ENTHUSIAST 95 points
94–96. Barrel sample. This is a powerful wine which exhibits a change in style towards elegance in recent years. The palate has delicious Merlot fruitiness along with black-currant acidity and a dense structure. Fine minerality at the end with juicy acidity. — Roger Voss

JANCIS ROBINSON 17++ points
In general, 2012 bordeaux are starting to sing now. There's dark chocolate, bitter cherry, sweet spice and very chewy texture on the palate. Just enough accessibility, and will likely improve further. (RH)

DUNELL'S 96 points
Reviewed by Neil Pinel
Colour is deep garnet with a brick rim. Intense nose of black cherry, smashed blackberry and black plum with dark chocolate, exotic spice and a perfumed lift of violets and graphite. Savoury tertiary notes of cured meat, leather and undergrowth add complexity. On the palate it is dense and muscular yet finely integrated. Ripe dark fruit fills the entry then firm, well judged tannins and balanced acidity give drive and length. Flavours of liquorice, coffee bean and tobacco leaf lead to a long finish with cocoa, dried herb and a stony mineral seam. Decant and serve 16 to 18°C. Best 2022 to 2040.

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ABOUT CHATEAU PAVIE
Château Pavie is one of Saint Émilion’s most famous estates, renowned for producing powerful, opulent reds that combine dense fruit, silky tannins and profound ageing potential. Perched on the plateau of Saint Émilion, the vineyard rests on stony, clay and limestone soils that encourage concentrated phenolic ripeness and a ripe, plush Cabernet Franc and Merlot expression. The estate’s steep terraces and varied exposures create rich, textured wines that often show black fruit, dark cherry, plum, graphite and exotic spice with a long, layered finish.

The property was acquired and extensively transformed by entrepreneur Gérard Perse in 1998. Under his ownership Pavie received major investment in the vineyards, cellar and winemaking technology that substantially refined both quality and consistency. Those improvements helped the estate rise in critical esteem and contributed to its promotion to Premier Grand Cru Classé A in the 2012 Saint Émilion classification.

Winemaking at Pavie is characterized by rigorous vineyard selection, precise extraction and generous but controlled use of oak that supports the wine rather than masking terroir. Fruit is often harvested selectively and parcels are vinified separately to maintain site distinction. Fermentation management and extended macerations are employed to build structure while aiming for ripeness and aromatic intensity. Elevage takes place in a range of new and used French oak barrels with the goal of integrating wood while preserving fruit purity.

The estate has worked with high profile consultants to refine viticulture and cellar practice, and the technical team under Perse has emphasized terroir expression alongside modern precision. In the glass Pavie is typically bold and sumptuous yet capable of nuance and length. The wines reward patient cellaring and deliver complex tertiary development over many years in good vintages.

Overall Château Pavie represents a modern, high investment expression of Saint Émilion where meticulous vineyard work, careful selection and thoughtful élevage produce wines of power, depth and long term refinement.