The 2011s are starting to open up and, given the general ho-hum view of the vintage, offer surprising quality and pleasure. The 2011 Pavie Decesse is the normal blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc and offers a more evolved, approachable style compared to the primordial 2010. Blackcurrants, white truffle, lead pencil, new leathers, and loads of spice dominate the bouquet, and it’s beautifully complex and full-bodied, with present yet ripe tannins and a great finish. It’s a gorgeous, mineral-laced Saint-Emilion to drink over the coming two decades or so.

This well-known estate situated on the limestone hillside above Pavie is produced from a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Another brilliant offering from the Perse family, the dense opaque purple-colored 2011 reveals plenty of floral notes intermixed with super-concentrated cassis and kirsch. The chalky limestone soils provide minerality to this full-bodied, powerful, concentrated St.-Emilion. Some tannins are noticeable, but they are sweet. This 2011 should be drinkable in 3-4 years and last for 15-20.

Offers driven fruit, with intense plum sauce, blackberry confiture and blueberry paste flavors, layered together and stitched with dark mocha and tobacco notes, all backed by a long, dense, velvet-textured finish. A showy style, but everything is in place. Best from 2016 through 2028. 580 cases made. JM

Wow. The smoky, berry, nut and ripe-fruit character is impressive in this wine. It’s full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a loads of oak on the finish. Some might find it too much, but it will come together with age. Try in 2018.

The 2011 Pavie Decesse is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc cropped at 26hl/ha at 14.3 degrees alcohol. It has an extremely ripe bouquet with macerated dark cherries, fig, a touch of fresh prune in the background and an intriguing oyster shell note. The palate is full-bodied with layers of ripe toasty black fruit with sufficient acidity to keep it balanced. It is fresh in the mouth, has a firm grip, but says “Come back after ten years.” Huge persistency on the finish! Tasted April 2012.

Bright ruby. Enticing nose of crystallized blackberry, violet and minerals. Pure and vibrant on the palate, with mineral-driven blackcurrant and blackberry flavors dominating. Finishes sweet, creamy and very long. One of the best wines of the vintage; competent winemaking aside, Pavie-Decesse benefits from amazing, first-rate terroir and that advantage is never more apparent than in challenging vintages like 2011.

Deep ruby. Very ripe aromas of blueberry syrup, dark chocolate and licorice, with an exotic liqueur-like quality. Tightly wound and penetrating but heavily extracted, with the dark fruit and spice flavors presently kept under wraps. Finishes firmly tannic and slightly bitter, with a note of licorice. Much less expressive and showy than it was at the Primeurs: I wouldn't even think about opening a bottle for at least another six or seven years. Ian D'Agata

Drink 2019-2030 3.5 ha. 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. Very dark with a rich black cherry rim. Anthocynanins came out easily. Powerful and dark and dense. Very ripe but no overripeness and really nice acidity. Not as dry as the Monbousquet, a little more rounded. Very dense but not hard. Lots of chew but has fruit depth too, and persistence. (JH) 14.3%

Black core. Rather odd nose. A touch leafy. Bitter and hard on the palate. Overextracted. (JH)