Today we share one of the great tales of Bordeaux. Chateau Pavie dates all the way back to Roman times and is named after orchards of peaches ("pavies") that were formerly grown on the property. Over the years Ferdinand Bouffard in the late 19th century purchased several plots of land to create the current estate.
Grapes on the estate later began to suffer from phylloxera and the winery was later sold to Albert Porte and later Alexandre Valette in 1943. The winery remained in the family until 1998 when it was sold to Parisian businessman Gerard Perse in 1998.
Perse bought new equipment and made drastic changes in the vineyard, as well as used the talents of winemaking consultant Michel Rolland. It was then in 2012 that Pavie was promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé (A) status, which made it one of four such Saint-Émilion producers.
I had the chance to taste the absolutely epic 2015 Chateau Pavie (OB, 100) which is a wine that is nothing short of perfection in the bottle. The wine is showing so beautifully right now but will easily live on for another thirty years. 2015 was seen as a really good vintage, with a hot spring and a hot and dry July, with some rains in August but generally hot late summer conditions. This is a very ripe, fleshy Pavie, one that is very different than the 2014 and 2013 that I have tasted. It is absolutely not for the weary and if you prefer something a bit less full-throttle, let it sit for another ten years. As for me, I enjoyed every hedonistic sip of this delightful elixir. Learn more at https://www.vignoblesperse.com/en/chateau-pavie/home and here is my review of the scintillating 2015 Chateau Pavie.
2015 Chateau Pavie Bordeaux- A ripe vintage wine that is absolutely ebullient and glowing, the 2015 Chateau Pavie is a sensational effort from this full-throttle vintage. On the nose this takes on plenty of delightful non-fruit character with tar, tobacco leaf and scorched earthy tones alongside aa massive wall of black fruits. Tannic and dense, with serious viscosity and weight, the wine is held together by a refined sense of minerality. Showing impressive length, this beauty is only starting to hit its stride — and will live on for another thirty years to come! Drink 2023-2050- 100