Pure perfection in a glass and unquestionably one of the great vintages for this cuvée, the 2015 Pavie is a blend of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon that was brought up in 80% new French oak. Sharing some similarities with the 2009, this tour de force sports a saturated purple color as well as a sweet bouquet of crème de cassis, crushed rocks, white truffle, and licorice. Its oak is perfectly integrated and balanced by this wine’s massive fruit and structure. Full-bodied, deep, and superbly concentrated, with building tannins, it’s a massive wine by any measure, but what sets it apart is that it still glides across the palate and retains an incredible sense of purity, balance, and elegance. It’s drinking well today due to the vintage’s opulence, yet won’t hit prime time for another 5-10 years and I suspect will keep for upward of 50 years.

Layers of fruit just keep on coming. The fruit is intense, sweet, fresh and powerful, with purity, length and complexity. The velvet texture coats your mouth. There are no hard edges from start to finish. The finish lasts at least 60 seconds! This is hedonistic and intellectual. But you need patience, as it will reward 15-20 years of cellaring. Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/search-wine-tasting-notes/?szSearch=2015+Pavie

Gigantic nose of very ripe black fruit. Enveloping richness, but the abundant fine tannins make this feel remarkably elegant and decisively dry for the richness. Very long and firm finish that has extraordinary energy and vibrancy. Great aging potential. Drink or hold. Château Quintus vertical tasting. SP.

In 2015, the blend is 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the wine was matured 80% in new French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Pavie is still sporting a bit of its oak to begin, giving way to a glorious nose of crushed black cherries, blackberries and mulberries plus hints of dried roses, stewed tea, unsmoked cigars and garrigue. The rich, concentrated, full-bodied palate delivers an incredible structure of very firm, very ripe tannins and a racy line of freshness cutting through the dense layers of perfumed black fruits and savory notions, finishing with epic length. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown

Opaque garnet in color with a touch of purple, the 2015 Pavie needs a fair bit of swirling to unlock notes of baked plums, blackberry preserves, and spice cake followed by nuances of tree bark, charcoal, and tapenade with a touch of Indian spices. The full-on, full-bodied palate is atomic, exploding in the mouth with black fruit preserves and velvety tannins, kept in check by a racy backbone, finishing with epically long-lasting notes of exotic spices. It needs 5 years to come into its best, then drink over the next 25 years+. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown

This start off richly, featuring beautifully rendered layers of fig, boysenberry and plum pâte de fruit flavors coursing through. The structure is refined and integrated, with a light chalky edge adding tension and vivacity while being absorbed by the fruit. The finish has pyrotechnics of anise, black tea and singed mesquite that are formidably long. Best from 2025 through 2045. - JM

Deep and rich in both colour and taste, this is a monument to the fine wine triumvirate of tannins, fruit and acidity. It's extremely muscular, with layers of black fruits, graphite and pencil shavings, as well as a smoky, tarred edge and the telltale salinity on the finish that places you on the limestone plateau of St-Émilion. There's impressive fruit density and finely-worked tannins, although I found the 2016 Pavie to have better balance - the 2015 is rather one to admire in my eyes, not to love. It should go 30 years easily. 70% new oak.

Although this wine is ripe, it is the fruit that sings. Firm and rich, the tannins support the wonderful fruitiness. Its perfumed Cabernets give the wine great presence as well as freshness. It is ready for long aging. Drink from 2027.

The 2015 Pavie has a high-toned, iodine-tinged bouquet with veins of blue fruit complementing the black cherry and boysenberry aromas. This is one of the more opulent, hedonistic 2015s. The glycerin-rich, medium-bodied palate offers succulent ripe tannin, a fine bead of acidity and a voluminous, heady finish. There is a touch of warmth from the alcohol. Though it is tempting in its youth, I would like to see how this will age in bottle. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting. -- Neal Martin