Château Pavie - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2017

Jeb DUNNUCK

95-97 / 100

par Jeb Dunnuck le 12/06/2018

If I had to pick one wine to be the wine of the vintage, at least at this early stage, it would be the 2017 Pavie. One of the deepest, richest, most opulent wines produced, it offers a heavenly bouquet of black and blue fruits, crushed violets, graphite, and spring flowers. While it’s not going to match the 2015 in sheer scale, it has sensational purity, a seamless texture, no hard edges, and pumps out way more fruit and texture than just about every other wine made in 2017. Hats off to the Perse family for this incredible effort. 95-97+

Vinifera

95 / 100

par Jacques Perrin le 28/05/2018

Riche et profond, corsé, sur des nuances d’encens et de graphite, il offre une bouche charnue et très ample, au tanin savoureux, velouté, truffé, épais mais doux, bien extrait, qui dégage une impression de volume et d’épaisseur. Le cœur de bouche est assez unique et ne ressemble à aucun autre St-Emilion. Seule la finale reste à construire mais il possède de la suite et ne manque pas de densité.

Vinous

94-97 / 100

par Antonio Galloni le 15/05/2018

The 2017 Pavie is very good, but it is also a bit somber in this vintage, almost as if the lack of sun during the summer speaks through the wine. Wild cherry, blueberry jam, leather and spice add to an impression of darkness. The 2017 finishes with real density and power to round things out. I can't wait to see how the 2017 develops over the next year.

The Wine Cellar Insider

96-98 / 100

par Jeff Leve le 11/05/2018

One single floral note emerges from an ink well of garnet. Full-bodied, intense, deep, sweet and podgy, this wine is a tsunami of tannin and slate with layers of deep, ripe fruits that will demand aging. Made from a blend of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine reached 14.6% with a pH of 3.61 and the harvest took place September 25 to October 3.

Vinous

93-95 / 100

par Neal Martin le 01/05/2018

The 2017 Pavie, picked from 25 September and matured in 80% new oak, comes in with 14.61° alcohol and a pH of 3.61. It has a clean, pure bouquet with blackberry, briary, cedar and pencil lead aromas, the latter emanating from the Cabernet Sauvignon. This is one of the bouquets that you might mistake for a Left Bank due to the high Cabernet content. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin, layers of black fruit are laced with tar and tobacco – a far less opulent Pavie than recent vintages. Grippy and assertive, a more masculine Saint-Émilion compared to its peers, quite saline towards the finish. It is a Pavie for long-term ageing. Patience required.

Wine Advocate

97-99 / 100

par Lisa Perrotti-Brown le 27/04/2018

There was no frost in this vineyard in 2017, due to its elevation, and grapes were harvested September 25 through October 3. Composed of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, the very deep purple-black colored 2017 Pavie has a profound nose of crushed blackcurrants, warm black plums and black forest cake with nuances of licorice, espresso, Chinese five spice and violets plus wafts of smoked meats and garrigue. Full-bodied, rich, firm, velvety and packed solid with black and blue fruit layers accented by sparks of exotic spices and floral scents, it finishes very long and incredibly layered. This is a very unique expression of this vintage.

Decanter.com

95 / 100

par Jane Anson le 25/04/2018

This is a good Pavie, with a good amount of clear water between it and the second wine. There's no doubt that this is a big wine, high on extraction of black fruits, coffee and tar aromatics, but the overall feel is velvety and fresh, as it was in 2016. 80% new oak has been used this time, compared to 100% previously, but still for 24 months, and the estate has continued their practice of beginning harvest a little earlier than in the past (helped by the vintage of course), getting going on 20 September this year. It's a very good wine for the vintage, with impressive texture, and they are doing a very successful job of moving towards a more sculpted feel without sacrificing their signature. They had no blockage of maturity here, and no frost; the altitude and the limestone saw to that.

Wine Enthusiast

95-97 / 100

par Roger Voss le 17/04/2018

This wine has a fresh lift that prior releases didn't necessarily boast. That freshness lends elegance to the wine, coupled with the fine fruity richness of the terroir. It is finely structured and cut by great acidity and spice. Drink from 2026.

Jamessuckling.com

96-97 / 100

par James Suckling le 06/04/2018

This is very velvety with a very pretty density and richness. Full body and chewy tannins. Focused and tight on the finish. Succulent and savory, too. Shows strength and subtlety at the same time.

Wine Spectator

93-96 / 100

par James Molesworth le 04/04/2018

Dark and admirably ripe, with layers of fig and blackberry compote liberally infused with tobacco, licorice snap and fruitcake flavors. Shows some heft through the finish, but there’s enough energy to keep this moving along. A long, subtle echo of chalk is alluring.—J.M.