Pavie - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2012

The Wine Independent

96

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe12/13/2023

Deep garnet in color, the 2012 Pavie prances out of the glass with showy notes of kirsch, black raspberries, and juicy black plums plus touches of lavender, pencil lead, and rose oil. The medium to full-bodied palate is lively and refreshing, with soft, satiny tannins and bags of bright red and black fruits, finishing with a lingering floral lift. This was the first vintage as a 1er GCC A, with a special black and silver label, and the first vintage with 25% Cabernet Franc.

Wine Advocate

94-94

byNeal Martinthe9/20/2022

The 2012 Pavie has a lovely bouquet, one of the best on the Right Bank, with gorgeous brambly red fruit, fig and black truffle, developing a Left Bank like personality with time. The palate is medium-bodied with a vibrant entry, nicely poise and focused, touches of pencil lead threaded through the red fruit with a nicely structured finish. Very seductive. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index's Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.

Vinous

95

byAntonio Gallonithe1/15/2016

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.

Wine Advocate

95

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/2015

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.

Jamessuckling.com

96

byJames Sucklingthe2/15/2015

This shows incredible depth and density for the vintage with dark berry, dark chocolate, spice and chalk character. Full body, firm and velvety tannins and a long and powerful finish. Needs five or six years to soften. Try in 2020.

Wine Spectator

95

byJames Molesworththe2/10/2015

This pulls out all the stops, with lush boysenberry confiture, warm plum sauce and blueberry reduction notes seamlessly intertwined with licorice snap, roasted apple wood and fruitcake flavors. A terrific bolt of graphite courses through the finish, producing impressive length and cut. A lot of spinning plates here, but the elements stay balanced. Best from 2018 through 2030. 5,830 cases made. –JM

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

90-92

byIan D'Agatathe6/30/2013

Good full purple-ruby.  Sexy aromas of blackberry, black cherry and vanilla are complicated by hints of violet and graphite.  Seamless, fine-grained and lightly saline, with tactile flavors of blueberry, cocoa and pepper.  Very impressive balance and depth here.  Finishes with supple tannins and outstanding length.  A huge success for what is a less extracted style than usual for Pavie.  Very well done.

Asian Palate

92

byJeannie Cho Lee MWthe5/15/2013

Wonderful lifted aromatics with blackberries, violets, jasmine and sweet spices. Alluring palate with attractive dark berry flavours, firm taninin and freshness. This vintage has 60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% alcohol. Velvety, firm tannins and very long length.

Wine Advocate

91-93

byNeal Martinthe5/6/2013

The Grand Vin is a blend of 60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon cropped at 28hl/ha and harvested by hand. It is being matured in 80% new oak, 20% one year old. It has a more refined, focused, expressive bouquet compared directly with the Bellevue-Mondotte. It is a little broody compared to the 2011 but it is nicely composed. The palate is full-bodied with linear, supple tannins. It is a compact Pavie, not as generous and precocious as top vintages for sure, but showing impressive precision on the finish. My only complaint is that the persistency needs to be longer in the mouth. Tasted April 2013.

matthewjukes.com

17.5

byMatthew Jukesthe4/30/2013

Jancis Robinson

17,5

byJulia Harding MWthe4/26/2013

Drink 2025-2035Newly promoted to premier grand cru classé A. 60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. 80% new oak. Deepest inky purple crimson. Black core. Finely aromatic black fruit. But so concentrated that the aroma is suppressed for now. Tightly packed, dry, fine grained, no hardness even though there's obviously plenty of extraction. Deep, dark and impressive and takes no prisoners. Put it away for some time. Plenty of chewy tannins but they envelop good fruit. Not my style but there is a harmony within that power. There is a minerality but it is expressed more as graphite because of the intensity of the wine and fruit and in the nicely dry tannin texture. Fresh enough but the freshness too is hard to find in the concentration. (JH) 14% (17,5+ points)

Wine Advocate

94-96

byRobert Parkerthe4/26/2013

The full-bodied, opaque purple-hued 2012 exhibits a beautiful nose of mulberries, black cherries, cedar wood, high quality toasty oak, lead pencil shavings, crushed chalk and floral notes. This complex, authoritative, full-throttle Pavie possesses much more accessibility and precociousness than most vintages. It is another brilliant effort from proprietors Chantal and Gerard Perse. It should be drinkable in 8-10 years and last for three decades. From 47-year-old vines, Pavie, one of the largest estates in St.-Emilion (92 acres), has once again hit pay dirt with their 2012 Pavie. Yields were 28 hectoliters per hectare (which is slightly above the 26 hectoliters per hectare in 2010), and the harvest was exceptionally late. The tannins may be the sweetest of any young Pavie I have tasted since the 2001 (which the 2012 vaguely resembles).Drink: 2021 - 2051(94-96+ points)

The Wine Cellar Insider

93-95

byJeff Levethe4/26/2013

With the color of a deep ruby gem, the wine pops with spice, incense, fresh brewed espresso, plum, cherry and blackberry. Smooth, polished and silky, there is a beautiful, sweet core of ripe red, white and black cherries. 93-95 Pts

Jamessuckling.com

94-95

byJames Sucklingthe4/4/2013

Lots of beautiful aromas of roses, dark fruits and dark chocolate. Full and chewy with beautiful firm tannins and that add to the long finish. Very intense. Very fine tannins. Very, very long. 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.