2009 Pavie Decesse
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Tasting Notes
Tar and blackberry on the nose, with hints of licorice. Full-bodied and very concentrated, with loads of blackberry fruit. Massive. But slightly less extracted than the Pavie
Critic Scores
Average Score
Wine Spectator
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
Tasted at Chateau Pavie. Picked on 12th October at 26hl/ha, a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, this has a ripe, exotic bouquet lacquered in creamy new oak: macerated black cherries, creme de cassis, black plum and damson jam. Moderate definition. The palate is full-bodied with dense but well balanced tannins, showing more harmony and focus than the Monbousquet, the tannins less aggressive at this stage, although the mouth is still lacquered on the finish. Fine. Tasted March 2010.
Very dark crimson. Warm, rich nose with some minerality and interest. Thick and sweet and porty. Then very dry and drying. Tarry. A bit like a syrup. To be impressed by rather than to drink with pleasure? Very dry end. Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com
Bottled the week of January 16 (a week before I tasted it), the 2009 Pavie Decesse (from a tiny 9-acre vineyard on the limestone slopes above Pavie) is an uncommonly fat, succulent, rich, 1,000-case cuvee with 14.3% alcohol. It boasts an inky/blue/purple hue along with notes of incense, spring flowers, roasted espresso, chocolate, licorice, blackberries and blueberries. Even though it is aged in 100% oak, the wood is virtually non-existent. An inky blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the wine exhibits a flawless integration of acidity, alcohol and tannin. This opulent, viscous, thick, juicy St.-Emilion will be accessible in 5-7 years and last for three decades. Wine Advocate.February, 2012