Description: The wines of Chateau Pavie Macquin are rich, aromatic and supple with notes of liquorice, spice, wood, plum and blackberry. They are smooth and stylish with rounded flavours and good balance. They age well but are approachable when young.
Robert Parker: Wine Advocate # 188. Apr 2010. Reviewer : Robert Parker. Yields here were 30 hectoliters per hectare, and the final blend 85% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon. The dynamic duo of Stephane Derenoncourt and Nicolas Thienpont produced nearly 4,000 cases of wine from this terroir, which has been promoted to a first growth in the St.-Emilion hierarchy. The 15% natural alcohol is rather shocking, because it is not the least bit noticeable. The wine is inky purple-colored, with loads of viscosity, an unctuous texture, and an enormous nose of charcoal, graphite, blackberry liqueur, and forest floor in a full-bodied, seamlessly constructed style. At the same time, the impression is one of a very unevolved, backward wine that has even more weight to put on and more nuances to reveal. I think this is one wine where the “plus” in the numerical rating will be very revealing. Forget it for 5-7 years and drink it over the next 30-40 years. (Tasted five times.) Drink: 2015 - 2055.
Jancis Robinson: Published : 08-Apr-2010. Deep, bright crimson. Very ripe, alcoholic notes on the nose. Very sweet black cherry flavours – kirsch actually – on the palate. Super-modern elixir. Not my favourite style of wine but some will love it and it’s well done. Not too painful on the finish – just a little drying. Round and juicy and very suave with carefully chosen dry oak. Sinewy and drying. Very cool. When to drink : 2015 to 2025.
Wine Spectator: Updated: April 15, 2010. Superfocused and beautiful, like looking at Mont Blanc with a clear sky and a blanket of snow. Full and refined, with gorgeous fruit and wonderful refinement. Silky tannins. Clearly the best ever. —J.S.
Stephen Tanzer: May/Jun 10. By Ian D'Agata. Medium-deep purple-tinged red. Ripe, fruity nose offers aromas of cherry pie, candied violet and dried herbs, along with a hint of alcoholic warmth. Enters the mouth fresh and lively, with firm acids nicely framing the pure if youthfully unevolved flavors of red berries and aromatic herbs. Finishes smooth, rich and long, with a saline suggestion of pine needles and very fine tannins. This very rich and attractive wine should offer considerable early appeal but should really be laid down.
Decanter: James Lawther MW, Decanter.com, 18 pts - "Rich, dense and beautifully textured. Combines an opulence of fruit with an amazing freshness and acidity. Long finish. Drink 2018-2040."
Chris Kissack, thewinedoctor.com, 17-18+/20 - " Roasted fruit on the nose here, rather animally in style too, hints of baked-jam. The palate follows in the same vein, being loaded with sweet substance, with lots of tannin too. This all seems very appropriate for Pavie-Macquin, usually a fairly big and mouth-coating style, very highly extracted as we should perhaps expect. Nevertheless there is so much fruit here though that I find it works rather well. An impressive depth and character, although as usual I expect it will generate some polarising opinions. A very well made wine."
Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, 93-95pts - "Tasted at the Saint Emilion UGC, this has a very ripe, almost porty nose that I think is just a little over-extracted (which is a great surprise.) Macerated black cherries, cassis, apricot jam and a touch of damson. Pretty, but less would have been more. The palate shows much better balance with fine, saturated tannins, fabulous concentration with layers of spicy red fruits on the ebullient finish. Leaving my sample aside for 10 minutes, that nose does calm down as I think it will through its elevage, after which I am sure this will represent one of the top Saint Emilion wines. Tasted March 2010."
Vinification: After fermentation the wines spend up to 20 months in oak of which 70% is new each vintage.
