Pavie 2008

70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Only 65% new oak this year. Inky with barely a rim. Dark and firm, dry but with more freshness and the tannins a little more melted than in previous vintages. Gerard Perse described as 'more feminine' than in the last few years, though I think he must like his women to have worked out! Harvested last week in Oct to 2 Nov. Lovely dark fruit. Roasted but not cooked. Dark and intense but much more. Savoury and concentrated but not the bitterness of some previous vintages.

A remarkable success in this vintage, Pavie's 92 acre vineyard situated on the limestone soils of the spectacular south-facing Cote Pavie (one of the greatest terroirs of Bordeaux) was cropped at 30 hectoliters per hectare. A blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, with an atypical (for a 2008) alcohol level of 14.5% that is higher than in its 2010 counterpart, the opaque purple-colored 2008 exhibits sweet, smoky barbecue notes intermixed with creme de cassis, black cherry, toast and crushed chalk. Deep, intense and full-bodied with surprisingly civilized tannins for such a young Pavie, it reveals wonderful breadth of flavor, a savory texture and a layered mouthfeel. It should drink beautifully in 2-4 years and keep for 25 or more.

Is the 2008 Pavie superior to the 2005 and 2000? While that is impossible to know at this stage of its development, it will certainly be one of the three greatest Pavies made under the administration of Chantal and Gerard Perse. Cropped at a very low 30 hectoliters per hectare, the final blend is a classic Pavie combination of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The 14.5% natural alcohol is the highest ever achieved at this estate. The inky/blue/purple color is followed by a wine with a concentrated, full-bodied texture, a layered mouthfeel, fresh acids, abundant tannin, and a 50-60-year evolution ahead of it. Compared to the enormous, but backward 2005, the 2008 seems even less evolved at a similar stage. Sweet creme de cassis, black cherry, licorice, and smoky barbecue characteristics combine with a liqueur of minerality that resonates from this terroir that is considered to be among the top dozen or so vineyard sites in Bordeaux. This remarkable offering, from a person who has, thankfully, ignored the petty jealousy and unfair criticism of his administration, is another St.-Emilion for your children's children. For the fact-mongers, this cuvee was hand-harvested between October 13-21, with the grapes put in small plastic containers. Everything is moved by gravity flow, and there is no fining or filtration following a slightly longer than normal aging (28-30 months) in oak casks.

Tasted ex-château and single blind in Southwold. The Pavie 2008 has a ripe, mineral-rich bouquet with fine definition: dark plum, dark cherry, blueberry; edgy and quite tensile. The palate has a creamy entry with vice-like grip, tannic and masculine, not a subtle wine but almost aggressive. It is a little mouth-puckering on the finish suggesting that it needs several years to soften since there is a lot of ravishing fruit waiting to blossom. Tasted January 2012.

A blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, cropped at 32hl/ha and aged in 65% new oak, 35% one-year wooden barrels, the '08 Pavie has a super-ripe, cassis-driven nose, hoi sin, spice and a touch of sloe. The palate is full-bodied with very fine tannins, lovely caressing texture, good acidity, just a little more refined than say Bellevue-Mondotte. Very pure on the finish although those tannins linger longer afterwards. Excellent - a ravishing Pavie. Tasted April 2009.