Pavie Macquin 2019

Rich and deep in colour, this is inky damson, layered and luscious in its aromatics, both restrained and generous, performing the limestone magic trick of push and pull, giving and taking. Blackberry, blueberry and liqourice upfront, with tannins that bristling and muscular but well honed and discreet. As it softens through the mid palate, the creamy fruits arrive, and you relax for a moment before the limestone grip is turned on again. This will close up soon, as the 2016 has done, but right now is singing with liqourice, black chocolate, blackcurrant, turmeric, spiced black truffles, mandarin peel and slate. Totally lives up to its En Primeur brilliance. 50% new oak. Part of the oustanding vintages series within this vertical.

Tasted blind. Sweet and juicy and racy – real energy here. With a certain salinity. And great persistence. 14.5%Drink 2026– 2045

The 2019 Château Pavie Macquin comes from a beautiful, cooler terroir located just outside the village of Saint-Emilion. A wine that always demands bottle age, its deep ruby/purple color is followed by a tight, reserved wine with notes of ripe cassis, mulberry, and blackberry fruits as well as notes of spring flowers, sandalwood, and flowers. The purity is truly something, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a rich, layered mid-palate, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. This is a wonderfully complete, nuanced, flawlessly balanced Pavie Macquin that will round into form with just 5-6 years of bottle age yet keep for 2-3 decades.

78% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. Barrel sample.Firm, solid but with drive. Zesty, dark berry and spice nose. Powerful tannins but enveloped by the fruit. Dry and muscular on the finish. (JL)Drink 2028 – 2040

The 2019 Pavie Macquin feels very tight on the nose at first and certainly from my sample bottle, I allowed it 15-20 minutes to open. Eventually it reveals very intense scents of black cherries, cassis and crushed violet, touches of blood orange in the background. The palate has a satin-like texture, almost Vosne-Romanée-like, with extraordinarily pure blue and black fruit. Seamless! There is fine tension on the finish with impressive persistence. This is a seriously good Pavie-Macquin from Nicolas Thienpont and his team. 2025 - 2055

Really classy red, offering blueberries, minerals, salt, limestone and light fresh herbs. It’s full-bodied, but so refined. Fine layers of fruit and tannins. It’s like millefeuille. The 2018 is more exuberant, but I love the elegance and structure here. Subtle and complex. 78% merlot, 20% cabernet franc and 2% cabernet sauvignon.

A blend of 78% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 Pavie Macquin is deep garnet-purple in color. It bursts with expressive blackberries, boysenberries, and ripe plum scents plus hints of dried mint, cast-iron pan and wood smoke. Full-bodied, rich and powerful in the mouth, it has amazing tension and velvety tannins, finishing very long.

Composed of 78% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 Pavie Macquin was harvested from the 23rd of September to the 11th of October. Yields were 47 hectoliters per hectare this year with about 90% of the production going into the grand vin. Deep garnet-purple in color, the wine opens with the most tantalizing perfume of lavender, lilacs and forest floor, giving way to a core of crushed blackberries, baked plums and blueberry preserves plus wafts of licorice and bay leaves. The full-bodied palate offers layer upon layer of black fruits and earthy nuances, sporting a solid structure of firm, grainy tannins and tons of freshness, finishing with great length and depth. About 5,500 cases are anticipated to be made.