2018 Chateau Pavie Decesse Grand Cru Classe, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

Powerful young red with blackberry and blueberry aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, very strong and concentrated with great length and minerality at the end. Finesse with power. - jamessuckling.com, April 2019

Composed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc with a pH of 3.57 and 14.52% alcohol, the 2018 Pavie Decesse is deep garnet-purple in color, bounding out of the glass with exuberant notes of stewed black and red cherries, plum pudding and blackberry preserves, leading to an undercurrent of Indian spices, cardamom, camphor and star anise, plus a waft of woodsmoke. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely coated with black fruit preserves and exotic spices, supported by a firm, velvety texture and bags of freshness, finishing on a lingering menthol note. It is absolutely scrumptious right now, but give it 4-5 years or more in bottle for experiencing that next-level, and drink it over the following 25+ years.

Grapes for this wine come from the plateau and were harvested October 3 with yields of 32 hectoliters per hectare. Composed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc with a pH of 3.57 and 14.52% alcohol, the 2018 Pavie Decesse is deep purple-black in color and strides confidently out of the glass with a very serious nose of crushed blackberries, warm black plums, mulberries and cassis plus touches of camphor, lavender, black olives and crushed rocks with a waft of woodsmoke. Full-bodied and laden with taut, muscular black fruit and loads of mineral accents, it has a firm structure of super ripe, finely grained tannins and amazing freshness, finishing very long and very layered. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, April 2019, The Wine Advocate

The 2018 Pavie-Decesse is laced with the essence of blackberry jam, grilled herbs, spice, leather and tobacco, all of which add to an impression of brooding power. This massively tannic, backward Saint-Émilion is going to require patience, but there is certainly plenty to look forward to. In 2018, Pavie-Decesse impresses with its vertical intensity and pure power.

The 2018 Pavie-Decesse was picked on 3 October (just one day). It has an intense and unashamedly floral bouquet with plenty of dried violet petals infusing the black cherry and blueberry fruit - very precocious. The palate is medium-bodied with velvety tannin, great weight in the mouth with a harmonious finish that just needs to develop more charm. But the fineness of tannins should see this through if you can afford it several years in the cellar.

90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. Barrel sample. Black core, almost no rim. Intense, pure cassis nose and a touch of spice – gingerbread? Extremely tannic and all tied up in the tannins. So extracted but surprisingly fresh, just too dry from those tannins; in fact, I think the acidity (pH is 3.57) may be hardening the tannins. I really am not sure about this, perhaps in 10 years? (JH)

Black core, almost no rim. Intense, pure cassis nose and a touch of spice – gingerbread? Extremely tannic and all tied up in the tannins. So extracted but surprisingly fresh, just too dry from those tannins; in fact, I think the acidity (pH is 3.57) may be hardening the tannins. I really am not sure about this, perhaps in 10 years? - Julia Harding, jancisrobinson.com, April 2019