Arômes de Pavie - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2020

Jeb DUNNUCK

94

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/30/2023

The second wine of Château Pavie, the 2020 Aromes De Pavie certainly has some Grand Vin character in its red and black fruits, tobacco, leafy herbs, and chocolate-driven aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and concentrated, with fine tannins and some obvious minerality on the finish, it's up with the finest second wines in the vintage. It will keep for two decades.

The Wine Cellar Insider

94

byJeff Levethe3/22/2023

With a distinctive floral edge, the wine quickly shifts to its nuances of espresso, licorice, crushed rocks, plums and dark chocolate on the nose. The wine is poised between its richness, freshness and vibrant layers of plums, cherries and cocoa with its edge of sea salt. What really makes this work is the new blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot, both harvested from specific parcels. Aromes de Pavie is no longer the second wine of Pavie, it is a unique wine of its own creation. Drink from 2024-2040.

TASTED

94

byAndreas Larssonthe7/6/2021

Fleshy and meaty with plenty of dark fruit, fine oak and toast with some smoky notes. Rich and voluminous palate, ripe and unctuous yet with a fine freshness underneath, dense, structured and very good persistency.

Vinous

91-93

byAntonio Gallonithe6/1/2021

The 2020 Arômes de Pavie represents a major step up in quality vis-à-vis previous vintages. It is a deep, statuesque wine endowed with tremendous power, richness and resonance. Plum, mocha, licorice, espresso and spice all flesh out in the glass. I can't wait to taste this in bottle. This is the first year in which the blend is equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc, both increasingly from plots dedicated to the Arômes, a departure from the past, when this wine was a selection of younger-vine fruit and lots that did not make it into the Grand Vin.

Jeb DUNNUCK

92-94

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/28/2021

Always in the running for the best second wine in Bordeaux, the 2020 Aromes De Pavie is brilliant and surpasses any number of estates’ Grand Vins. The blend of the 2020 is equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and it has solid tech numbers, with an alcohol of 14.7% and a pH of 3.57. Dense purple-hued with a great nose of jammy black cherries, cassis, flowers, and chalky minerality, it’s medium to full-bodied and has a supple, up-front texture, ripe tannins, and brilliant balance. It tastes just like a second wine should, like a mini-Grand Vin that will drink beautifully while you give the top wine bottle age

Vinous

90-92

byNeal Martinthe5/27/2021

The 2020 Arômes de Pavie, which comes from specific parcels, contains a much higher percentage of Cabernet Franc, half the blend instead of the 18% in the 2018. It was vatted for 31 days and matured in 70% new oak. Deep in color, it has an intense bouquet of blackberry, pencil lead and a faint touch of tobacco, the new oak conspicuous but in sync with the fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, plenty of black plummy fruit laced with bilberry, and a saline undercurrent. A stocky Deuxième Vin, but it manages to maintain decent balance and freshness. I hope we see the Cabernet Franc at this level in the blend going forward.

The Wine Cellar Insider

93-95

byJeff Levethe5/21/2021

Deeply colored, the wine offers red and black plums, flowers, boysenberry, espresso and dark chocolate on the nose. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, lush and concentrated, velvet textures and loads of sweet, fleshy, flashy, dark red fruits, spice, espresso and cocoa in the finish. Aromes de Pavie is no longer the second wine of Pavie. Because all its fruit comes from a specific 11 hectare parcel, it should be looked at as its own brand. The wine blends 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc. 93-95

Wine Advocate

91-93

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe5/20/2021

Composed of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Arômes de Pavie has an alcohol of 14.78% and a pH of 3.57. It is aging in French oak barriques, 70% new. Deep purple-black in color, it needs a little swirling to unleash its exuberant scents of stewed black plums, black cherry compote and boysenberries, plus hints of tar, sautéed herbs and chargrill. The full-bodied palate packs in the black fruit layers, framed by soft tannins and tons of freshness, finishing long and earthy.

Jamessuckling.com

95-96

byJames Sucklingthe5/17/2021

Second wine of Pavie with wonderful blackberry, black olive and dark chocolate. Full and chewy with a powerful finish. Lots of structure and intensity.

Bernard Burtschy

95-96

byBernard Burtschythe5/10/2021

My Bettane + Desseauve

92-93

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/7/2021

Tastingbook.com

93

byMarkus Del Monegothe4/13/2021

Dark purple colour with violet hue and black core. Expressive nose with juicy fruit, blackberries, plums, Boysenberries and hints of elderberries in the background. On the palate well balanced with powerful tannins, juicy fruit and elegant toasting flavour, fine oak spices and very convincing length.