The 2023 Pavie-Macquin is a Bordeaux blend produced by Pavie-Macquin in the Saint Emilion sub-region of Bordeaux, France. This red wine features a traditional closure with a cork and is characterized by its vibrant, energetic profile and exceptional reviews from leading wine critics.
James Suckling awards this wine an almost perfect score of 99 points, describing it as "twitchy, lively" with "brambleberry, black olive, and a real sense of limestone." He praises its well-integrated tannins and energy, calling it "very cool, fine wine from this estate in this year" and speculates whether it could be the best Pavie-Macquin ever produced.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, represented by William Kelley, gives the wine a score of 95 points. Kelley notes the "aromas of sweet raspberries, cherries, and plums" and mentions the wine's "deep core of fruit, tangy acids, and powdery tannins." He highlights the estate's ongoing improvements, including higher density plantings and restructuring, which have refined the wine's tannins despite its low pH of 3.35.
Antonio Galloni of Vinous awards the wine 97 points, calling it "one of the stars of the vintage." Galloni describes the wine as "exceptional" with "seamless tannins" and a core of "inky red/purplish fruit, lavender, mint, spice, and blood orange." He emphasizes the benefits of the estate's transition toward higher-density vineyards and credits long-time consultant Stephane Derenoncourt for the wine's brilliance.
Jane Anson, giving it 96 points, notes the "gentle grilled oak notes" and "brilliant construction" of the wine, praising its "grip and intensity, tension, energy, and a brooding quality." She mentions the Thienpont-Derenoncourt team's 30 years of collaboration and the Corre-Macquin family.
Jeff Leve of The Wine Cellar Insider also scores the wine 99 points, highlighting its "flowers, red berries, spice, licorice, lavender, and sea-salt" perfume. He describes the wine as "electric, edgy, fresh, and fruity," with a strong minerality and relaxed palate, thanks to the maturation of newer plantings and a gentler aging program.
Jeb Dunnuck gives the wine 95 points, describing it as "an open, expressive vintage" with "darker cherry and cassis-driven perfume" and "beautiful minerality." He notes its "elegant style" and predicts it will need 7-8 years of bottle age.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown of The Wine Independent rates the wine 97 points, praising its "showy perfume of lilacs, iris bulb, star anise, sandalwood, and Sichuan pepper" and its "energetic red and black berry layers."
Finally, Decanter also scores the wine 96 points, appreciating its "super fragranced" nose, "high acidity," and "soft chalky, powdery bite to the tannins." The review highlights its "fun, lifted side," precision, and layers of fine tannins.
Overall, the 2023 Pavie-Macquin is a highly acclaimed wine, praised for its vibrant energy, refined tannins, and expressive aromas, making it one of the standout wines of the vintage.
