94 -95 points,

James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, April 2012

Fabulous aromas of blackberries and cassis. A purity of fruit here. Full body, with silky tannins. Powerful finish. Muscular for the vintage. Gorgeous. I like the brightness and clarity to it.

90 points,

Jancis Robinson, April 2012

Slightly lower yields than 2010. Gentle aroma of sweet dark, dusty fruit pure with evident oak char and chocolate. Very firm and chewy grip but there's a softness in the mouth that is striking for Pavie. Dense and dark but with a fluid flourish at the end and good length. Enough freshness to balance. Lots of matière then the oak char comes back on the finish. A bit too dense for pleasure at the moment. 17/20 (JH)

Jeff Loo, JJ Buckley, April 2012

70% merlot, 20% cabernet franc, and 10% cabernet sauvignon. 14.3% potential alcohol. Planted on 37 hectares of limestone, mixed clay and limestone, and alluvial sand soils. Vines are harvested by hand and yield 30 hl/ha. Aged in 80% new oak. Dark as night, this St. Emilion is one of 2011's top wines. Rich chalky aromas mix with violet, plum, and other red and black fruit on the nose. Full of power and grip on entry, this has fine-grained tannins and high acidity levels, with a fruity mid-palate and a long, rich, and firm finish. This will require 10 years in the cellar, and should be enjoyed for two to three decades. Wow! From the Gerard Perse portfolio. Tasted three times. Enjoy 2024-2044+.

92 -94 points,

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, April 2012

The Pavie was picked from 20th until 30th September. Usually there is an explosion of fruit from the glass...but not this time. It is more succinct in 2011, drawing you in to the seductive, pure, cassis and dark berry fruits laced with blueberry and a touch of soy. The palate is full-bodied and very well balanced with ripe tannins, good acidity and great harmony. There is less of a vice-like grip than the 2010 and of course, great persistency and purity on the mouth, though those tannins are drying on the finish (as usual.) will require a decade in bottle. Note the plus sign. Tasted April 2012.

93 -95 points,

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, April 2012

Another terrific success for the flagship estate (a 92-acre vineyard situated on the famed limestone and clay-rich slopes of Cote Pavie) of Chantal and Gerard Perse, the 2011 Pavie is composed of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The harvest took place between September 20-30, with final yields of a mere 28 hectoliters per hectare. The natural alcohol is 14.3%, and the 2011 may be the biggest, richest, most massive wine of the vintage. With thrilling levels of concentration, tremendous purity, high but sweet tannin, a skyscraper-like mouthfeel, and terrific intensity, depth and palate presence, this larger-than-life effort will require 5-8 years of cellaring, and should age effortlessly over the following 25-30 years.

91 -93 points,

Stephen Tanzer's IWC, May 2012

Deep ruby. Brooding aromas of blackcurrant, violet and vanilla. Fine-grained and smooth, with lively red berry and dark plum flavors enlivened and extended by a mineral overlay. Not the most generous Pavie of recent years, but still a wine of remarkable richness in the context of the vintage. This will need plenty of time in bottle. Still, in 2011 I think Pavie-Decesse is its equal.

90 -92 points,

Wine Enthusiast, May 2012

Here is a ripe and juicy wine that pushes forward with delicious blackberry fruits. There is a tense edge of acidity that then brings out denser tannins, but juiciness characterizes this wine.

92 -95 points,

Wine Spectator, April 2012

Very ripe, but also very focused, with a distilled raspberry essence racing from start to finish, while extra licorice snap, blueberry coulis and plum pâte de fruit notes fill in the background. Long and velvety through the finish. A beautiful effort for the vintage.-J.M.

About Winery

The ancient Pavie vineyard--going back at least as far as the 4th century AD--is located on the southern part of the Saint Emilion slope. Thanks to the excellent terroir, it is one of the top two chateaux in this part of the appellation (along with Ausone) as well as one of the finest in all Bordauex. Pavie has gone from strength to strength since Gerard Perse arrived in 1998.

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