Chateau Pavie 2023

JAMES SUCKLING: "The depth and intensity is really out of this world. The richness is there, but it's all in balance and has an almost weightless feel to it. It's medium- to full-bodied with purity and definition, and the magic of limestone soils keeps the pH low, giving energy, bright acidity and verve. Terrific young red. 51% merlot, 32% cabernet franc and 17% cabernet sauvignon."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "The 2023 Pavie is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a few moments of swirling to unlock scents of blueberry pie, cassis, and preserved plums, eventually giving way to a gorgeous perfume of violets, star anise, cedar chest, and iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate shimmers with bright, fresh black fruit layers, framed by firm, ripe, rounded tannins and Pavie's signature tension, finishing very long and very fragrant. This is breathtaking! The blend is 51% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, and 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, with pH 3.66."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Einladende dunkle Beerenfrucht, Brombeeren, frische Kirschen, zarte Edelholzwürze, kandierte Orangenzesten sind unterlegt. Saftig, engmaschig, reife dunkle Beeren, integrierte, tragende Tannine, lebendig strukturiert, kalkige Frische, bleibt gut haften, rotbeerige Nuancen im Abgang, ein lebendiger, animierender Stil, keine Spur von Opulenz, salziger Nachhall, gute Länge und sicheres Reifepotenzial."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "With its black purple color, and just a single swirl you find blackberries, black cherries, cassis, mint, tobacco leaves, spice, and oceanic influences. The palate is even better with its layers of black, and red fruits with their gorgeous sense of purity. The wine is concentrated, deep, long, and intense, as is the minerality. There is an electric vibrance providing a racy mouthfeel that energizes the fruit in the long, expansive finish, buttressed with its aromatics on the palate. The key to the vintage was the ability to wait for the right moments to pick each varietal. To illustrate that point, some of the oldest Merlot vines were harvested after the Cabernet. The wine blends 51% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, and 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.25% ABV, pH 3.66. Harvesting took place September 18 - October 5. Drink from 2030-2065."

WEINWISSER: "51 % Merlot, 32 % Cabernet Franc, 17 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 32.76 hl/ha, 14.25 Vol.-%. Dicht verwobenes Bouquet, blaubeerige Konturen, intensiver Veilchen- und Iris-Duft. Im zweiten Ansatz roter Johannisbeernektar, Graphit, Lakritze und Preiselbeermus. Am strukturierten Gaumen mit cremiger Textur, engmaschigem Tanninkorsett, pfeffrigem Extrakt, edlem mineralischem Kern und muskulösem Körper. Im konzentrierten, nicht enden wollenden Finale blaue Beeren, dunkle Mineralik und erhabene Adstringenz gepaart mit edler Bitterness."

VINUM: "Sehr tief, reife, dunkle Frucht, steinige Noten, sehr nobel; am Gaumen majestätisch, von dichtem Bau, grosse Konzentration, Massen an Tannin , wuchtig, dennoch mit Eleganz und Frische, grosse Länge, mineralisch geprägt. Ein Monument in diesem Jahr, mit grossen Reserven."

DECANTER: "Aromatic nose, clean and clear, lovely pristine black and red fruits, some dark chocolate with violets, graphite and liquorice. Gorgeous succulence, this is so clear and crystalline with some juicy strawberry and bitter orange. A touch of tension gives the backbone and structure - great direction and movement from start to finish. Poised and piercing - so direct - I love the finesse and refinement, everything feels so elegant. Layered and complex but with zing, a sense of life and tons of energy. Still compact, no doubt, as you'd expect but tannins are fine and the wine has been well constructed - this will be delicious. An impressive showing for Pavie in 2023. 3.66pH."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The Grand Vin 2023 Château Pavie is based on 51% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon that was brought up in 72% new oak. It's a more inward, serious effort that has a layered bouquet of ripe red and black fruits, spicy oak, spring flowers, and smoke tobacco. This carries to a full-bodied 2023 revealing a beautiful sense of minerality, ample mid-palate depth, and a gorgeous finish. It shows the more elegant, vibrant style of the vintage while still being classic Pavie. If anything, it reminds me slightly of the château's 2001."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "An elegant Pavie this year, the power reined in and discreet. Complex floral and dark-fruit bouquet. Suave texture, the tannins finely honed. Long and fresh with a saline finish. Drink 2032 – 2050"