Château Pavie, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France, 1998

Overview of the Wine
The Domaine has been owned by Gérard Perse since 1998, who has done his utmost to give it a boost that is, to say the least, Extraordinary, having elevated it to the rank of the most prestigious Bordeaux wines.

It was in 2012 that the consecration came for Château Pavie, when it acceded to the title of Premier Grand Cru Classé "A" in the Saint-Emilion classification, a position it retained during the latest classification revision in September 2022. 

The Château Pavie today watches over a 37-hectare vineyard, making it one of the largest estates among Saint-Emilion's Premiers Grands Crus Classés. The vines are planted on limestone and clay-limestone slopes, with 65% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines are aged for 18 to 32 months in French oak barrels, the proportion of which can vary from 70 to sometimes 100% new wood.

The estate produces a Second wine, Arômes de Pavie, which also benefits from 18 to 24 months of barrel ageing, of which 50% is new wood.

The Château Pavie is renowned for the finesse, complexity and inimitable charm of its wines. Rich fruit and noble tannins give them vibrant energy.

Winemaker
Gérard Perse

Grape / Blend
65% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

Origin
Saint-Emillon, Bordeaux, France

Tasting Notes
Château Pavie 1998 exhibits a captivating palate with elegant, tight-knit tannins that create a harmonious texture. The nose is concentrated and filled with a multitude of enticing aromas, including spice, cinnamon, cherry jelly, candied morello cherry, and a hint of cocoa, characteristic of Pavie's bouquet. The wine's deep ruby-red color is still vibrant and alluring. It leaves a lasting impression on the palate with a rich, opulent body that envelops the senses. The finishing taste is long, and fresh, and adds an additional layer of complexity to this exceptional vintage. Château Pavie 1998 showcases the superb ripeness of the grapes, highlighting the wine's outstanding quality and aging potential.

97 Points - Wine Independent
Medium to deep garnet-brick in color, the 1998 Pavie prances out of the glass with showy notes of black cherry preserves, stewed plums, and kirsch leading to suggestions of sandalwood, menthol, crushed rocks, and iron ore with a waft of potpourri. The medium to full-bodied palate is bright and impactful, delivering shimmery yet rich black fruits and loads of exotic spice sparks, supported by amazing tension and satiny tannins, finishing on an epically long-lasting anise note. This is stunning! It still has 15-20+ years. (LPB)

96 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
The first vintage for Gérard Perse, the 1998 Pavie is drinking beautifully today and offers a layered, rich, yet seamless and elegant character. Blackcurrants, new leather, tobacco, chocolate, and dried flowers characteristics all emerge from this beauty and it has sweet tannins, a flamboyant, sexy texture, and no hard edges.

95 Points - Wine Advocate
This wine still possesses a dense, youthful, plum/garnet color to the rim, with very little lightening. The first vintage for Pavie under Chantal and Gérard Perse, the 1998 is full-bodied, showing lots of cedar wood, forest floor, roasted herbs, black cherry and blackcurrant and new saddle leather. It is quite full-bodied, opulent and seems to be just entering its plateau of full maturity, where it should last another 15-20 years. (RP)

Product size: 750ml