The 2008 Pavie-Macquin is fabulous. An exceptionally beautiful wine, the 2008 is positively stellar. In the glass, the 2008 is aromatically deep, silky and vibrant. The year was marked by an extremely long growing season with an early start and a late harvest that kept getting pushed back because of unusually cool nights. The Cabernets came in only at the end of October.

Consultants Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt have produced a beautiful St.-Emilion that tastes like the quintessence of crushed rocks intermixed with blueberry, blackberry, black raspberry, licorice, camphor and truffle notes. This full-bodied effort should drink well in 4-5 years, and last for two decades or more. It achieved 14.5% natural alcohol.

The 2008 Pavie-Macquin was decanted for 60 minutes before pouring. It is surprisingly backward on the nose and demanded another 30 minutes to really open, offering luscious scents of black cherry, boysenberry, crushed violet and light camphor scents that recede with continued aeration. The palate is still concentrated with layers of black fruit tinged with dark chocolate, a little heady in style but retaining sufficient balance to uphold its freshness. It is a feisty and extrovert Pavie-Macquin that feels undiminished at a decade out and in fact, I would afford bottles another four or five years to allow more terroir expression and secondary notes to develop. This has enormous potential, but winemaker Nicolas Thienpont produced a wine for those with patience. (Tasted at the château and at BI Wine & Spirits annual vertical tasting.) - vinous.com, February 2018

(14.5% alcohol; 3.34 pH): Opaque ruby-red. Aromatic nose of ripe black cherry, strawberry syrup, incense, smoke and cedar. Sweet and creamy on entry, then fresher and livelier in the middle, with mineral-driven flavors of red cherry and raspberry jam. The high but harmonious acidity gives this wine good clarity and cut and makes it seem lighter than it is. Finishes extremely long, with a bright mineral tang and a savory note. This is excellent already, but really needs another 6 to 8 years to enter its prime and will be at its peak for another 20 after that. Yet another great, classic Bordeaux from the unheralded 2008 vintage

Powerful crimson. Masses of acidity – even a little severe. Finishes rather dry. Ambitious but there’s not much pleasure to be had at the moment. (JR)

Evolved nose with more than a hint of oxidation to the fruit. Ripe red fruits on the palate, firm tannic dust on the finish. Losing its fruit freshness, but retaining its grip – not the most promising prospect. (RH)