2012 Chateau Pavie, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bottle (750ml)

JD98+ "Bottled under a black label to celebrate Pavie’s addition to the Grand Cru Classé “A” classification, the 2012 Chateau Pavie is a brilliant wine, and readers with bottles in their cellars are in for a treat. From a bottle purchased in the US, this deep purple-hued beauty takes plenty of air (it showed best the day after opening) to show at its best yet offers incredible notes of blackcurrants, blackberries, scorched earth, graphite, leafy herbs, violets, and background oak. Rich, full-bodied, and powerful, it nevertheless has incredible elegance and purity, with loads of silky tannins, terrific freshness, and a blockbuster finish. I continue to believe 2012 was a great, great vintage for the Right Bank, and this just adds fuel to the fire. This beauty is approachable today yet will mostly likely merit a triple-digit rating in 5-7 years and will keep for 30-40 years, given its impeccable balance and depth of fruit." JD Jun 2020

LP96 "Deep garnet in color, the 2012 Pavie prances out of the glass with showy notes of kirsch, black raspberries, and juicy black plums plus touches of lavender, pencil lead, and rose oil. The medium to full-bodied palate is lively and refreshing, with soft, satiny tannins and bags of bright red and black fruits, finishing with a lingering floral lift. This was the first vintage as a 1er GCC A, with a special black and silver label, and the first vintage with 25% Cabernet Franc." LPB for TWI Dec 2023