Pavie Macquin 2007

This property never makes a very forward style of wine, and in the precocious, charming, upfront 2007 vintage, Pavie Macquin has fashioned an unexpectedly backward, powerful offering. Perhaps this vineyard's character is due to the clay and limestone plateau on which the vineyard is planted. Composed of 85% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine achieved 14% natural alcohol in 2007. The wine reveals a dense blue/purple color in addition to a bouquet of burning embers intermixed with charcoal, graphite, blackberries, and cassis. Extracted, but not excessively so, and full-bodied, with lots of tannin and structure, this atypical 2007 requires 3-4 years of cellaring. It should evolve for 15 or more years. Drink 2013-2028.

This has a low pH of 3.35 and is imbued with a ripe, slightly jammy nose with raspberry and plum. The palate is full bodied with good acidity cutting through those thick black fruits. Very primal on the tannic finish, difficult to ascertain at the moment but it certainly has stuffing. Tasted April 2008.

This has good concentration for the vintage, with lots of mineral, berry, currant and flowers. I like this a lot.

Exceptionally deep crimson. Minerals – charcoal? – on the nose. Very, unusually, sweet and rich and round and seductive. A great sweet spread of gentle fruit on the front palate. Not aggressive at all. Quite a feat in 2007! Lively. Real vitality here. Again it finishes a bit suddenly but there is lots of pleasure to be had here. Big and bloody and flattering on the front palate, then it tightens up quite considerably and shows a little bit of astringency and quite marked acidity. More vivacity than many even though in the context of all vintages it’s a little bit dull. Drink 2012-2016