Château Pavie Macquin - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2005

Wine Advocate

96 / 100

par Robert Parker le 30/06/2015

Inky bluish/purple in color, Pavie Macquin produced a prodigious effort from St.-Emilion in 2005. Its crushed, chalky rock minerality, massive body, and high tannin make for a wine to forget for another decade. Super-loaded, concentrated and powerful, this wine should turn out great, but patience will be required. The blackberry and cassis fruit are there in abundance, but so is a massive structure. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2035. (96+)

La Revue du Vin de France

16,5 / 20

le 20/10/2014

Le nez porte des stigmates d'une sécheresse. La matière croquante, serrée, jamais agressive, est très longue en tanins, persistante. De grande garde. Il faut l'attendre impérativement encore cinq à sept ans minimum.

Wine Advocate

92 / 100

par Neal Martin le 29/06/2009

Tasted single blind at Southwold. Again like the Larcis ‘05, there is a lot of extraction on the nose: plum, iodine and a touch of liquorice. Moderate definition. Sweet black fruits, high extraction but lacking some backbone and structure on the linear palate. Ripe plum and blueberry, a touch of black olive on the finish. Well crafted but not memorable. This has closed down and should be cellared for five years or more. Mean scoring here, but I have no doubt it will show better down the line. Drink 2013-2020+ Tasted January 2009. 92+

Falstaff

95 / 100

le 30/06/2008

Bright ruby-red. Superripe, perfumed nose dominated by griotte cherry, raspberry and cocoa. Lush, smooth and impressively concentrated, with enough acidity and minerality to leaven the wine's almost port-like ripeness (the pH here, always low, is barely 3.55 in 2005, according to Nicolas Thienpont). Very deep flavors of sweet cherry and dark berries carry through on the mounting, palate-saturating finish. A massive example of Pavie-Macquin whose thick coat of baby fat is currently making the wine hard to view. This one is going to require a minimum of a decade of patience.

Wine Advocate

98 / 100

par Robert Parker le 07/05/2008

It appears consumers can’t go wrong with any 2005 with the word “Pavie” in its name. This outstanding terroir, elevated to Premier Grand Cru Classe status in St.-Emilion’s reclassification, is run with impeccable attention to detail by Nicolas Thienpont, who is assisted by winemaking guru, Stephane Derenoncourt. The 2005 Pavie Macquin may turn out to be this duo’s finest wine to date. This is a moderately large vineyard (37 acres) for the area, and the blend tends to be 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. A black/purple color is accompanied by aromas of charcoal, burning embers, crushed rocks, sweet, pure, blueberries and blackberries, chocolaty creme de cassis, and licorice. It possesses massive concentration, phenomenal levels of tannin, and good acidity, but it is even more backward than either Pavie or Pavie Decesse. A modern day elixir that should prove to be monumental in 15-20 years, it will last for 40+ years.

Wine Spectator

96 / 100

par James Suckling le 22/02/2008

Jancis Robinson

16 / 20

par Jancis Robinson le 21/11/2007

Dark, perfumed and spicy - lovely black fruit and a violet note. Even though the fruit is very slightly overripe, it is still quite aromatic in the mid palate and the acidity is fresh. Moderate density, firm, tight tannins.

La Revue du Vin de France

18 / 20

le 03/09/2007

Wine Advocate

96-100 / 100

par Robert Parker le 04/05/2007

As of 2006, Pavie Macquin is one of St.-Emilion’s new Premier Grand Cru Classes, although the 2006 reclassification of St.-Emilion has been suspended by a Bordeaux judge because of a pending lawsuit from three estates that were demoted (justifiably in my opinion.) Their 2005 may be the finest wine they have yet produced – even better than their brilliant 2000 and 1998. From a 37-acre vineyard, this blend of 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon is fermented in open top tanks with pigeage, malolactic in barrel, aging on its lees, and batonnage, all a la Burgundy. It achieved 14.5% natural alcohol, which must be an all-time record at this estate. Over 4,000 cases will be produced. A fascinating wine that reminded me of a top vintage of Ausone, it represents the essence of its terroir as well as richness. Black/purple to the rim with an extraordinary, intense nose of crushed rocks, spring flowers, blueberries, blackberries, creme de cassis, licorice, and camphor, it possesses superb depth, huge tannin, and massive concentration as well as freshness (from acidity and definition). This legendary effort should be drinkable in a decade, and last for 35+ years. Out of this world!

Wine Advocate

94-96 / 100

par Robert Parker le 01/05/2006

Looking more like a young vintage port than a Bordeaux, Pavie-Macquin’s inky/purple-colored 2005 exhibits notes of graphite, melted licorice, espresso roast, crushed rocks, white flowers, blackberries, and creme de cassis. Packed and stacked and stuffed with extract, power, and tannin, this 75% Merlot/20% Cabernet Franc/5% Cabernet Sauvignon blend’s technical numbers are unprecedented. It should enjoy a remarkably long life of three decades or more. The 2005 is capable of challenging this estate’s brilliant 2003 and 2000.

Wine Spectator

95-100 / 100

par James Suckling le 30/03/2006

Aromas of licorice and blackberry. Violets. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and lots of berry and cherry character. A blockbuster. Is it better than 2003? We will see. This is monumental. —J.S.