Chateau Pavie 2009 |
| 96-100 |
Robert Parker (Wine Advocate) |
Another brilliant effort from Gerard Perse, this great vineyard (now just over 90 acres in size with the average age of the vines 45 years) was cropped at 28 hectoliters per hectare. It obviously missed all the damaging hail in mid-May of 2009, and was harvested between October 5 and 15. Everything here is done with extraordinary gentleness and precision. The result is a powerful, full-bodied, remarkably intense wine that is black/purple in color. It will require considerable patience, much like 2000 and 2005. It displays enormous creme de cassis and boysenberry fruit with some cherries, spice box, and crushed rock in the background. It is intense, with loads of minerality, huge extraction, massive power, yet again, the vintage character seems to have given it a freshness and vibrancy despite the wine's obvious viscosity. The minimum patience required is at least a decade, as this is another 40-year wine from Gerard Perse. (Tasted five times.) Drink 2020-2060. |
| 93-95 |
Neal Martin (Wine Advocate) |
Tasted at Chateau Pavie and then at a negociant. Cropped between 5th and 15th October at 28hl/ha, a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. At the chateau: this has a very dense, introverted bouquet that opens up with aeration, to show some dense black fruit, boysenberry, kirsch and a touch of dried prune. Another bottle that had been open for 30 minutes is much fresher. The palate is full-bodied and well balanced, fine definition and brightness of fruit, not an elegant Pavie but it has panache. Firm grip on the finish with fine minerality. Excellent. The sample at the negociant had more forthright tannins that were very aggressive and dry on the finish. Difficult to pin down with so many different showings, hence the question mark for now. Tasted March 2010. |
| 94-97 |
James Suckling (Wine Spectator) |
Blackberry, black cherry, licorice and mineral. Full-bodied, with a big core of velvety tannins and rich fruit. Full throttle, and all there. Really massive. Blockbuster and more. Could be a tad overdone. But we will see in bottle. |
| 18/20 |
Jancis Robinson |
Blackish purple. Suddenly interesting! Very distinctive. Very appetising and succulent. All pleasure but with a promise of future development. So much more satisfying and succulent than its stablemates. Date tasted 30th March 2010. Drink 2018-2035. |
| 18/20 |
James Lawther MW (Decanter.com) |
Dense and profound. Layered fruit. Tight, firm tannic frame. Muscular and powerful. Built for the long haul. A confident wine but misses a little of the charm of the vintage. Drink 2018-2040. |
|
