Chateau Pavie Decesse 2005
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Wine Spectator
Displays stunning aromas of crushed blackberry, strawberry and raspberry, with hints of sandalwood. Full-bodied, with focused flavors of fruit, toasty oak, vanilla bean and cedar. Long and caressing, this is a powerful yet balanced red. Best after 2016. 550 cases made.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Pavie Decesse, a much smaller vineyard (9 acres) than Pavie, produces just over 400 cases of wine. The vines average 45+ years of age, and the blend contains no Cabernet Sauvignon and much less Cabernet Franc than Pavie. Yields are similar for the two estates, but Pavie Decesse exhibits more espresso, chocolate, and caramelized Merlot-like flavors, and reveals a certain freshness and precision because of its exquisite limestone-based terroir. A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the blockbuster 2005 Pavie Decesse boasts an inky/purple color as well as a gorgeous nose of crushed rocks, acacia flowers, blackberries, blueberries, and a super-concentrated cranberry-like note. Its well-integrated toasty oak component is more noticeable than in the Pavie. Exceptionally concentrated, powerful, and long, it is meant for long-term aging in spite of the high percentage of Merlot. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040+.
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Château Pavie-Decesse was long hidden by the shadow of its older brother, Château Pavie. The two estates, Grand Cru Classé of Saint-Emilion, were separated in 1885 but keep a lot of similarities. Both own by Gérard Perse since 1997 and benefiting from an exceptional location on the limestone plateau of Saint-Emilion. With 3.5 hectares of prime land, it is planted with 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The vines are a respectable 43 years old on average and a draconian level of requirement is practiced in the vineyard to obtain the most beautiful and mature harvest each year. The grapes are picked and sorted by hand, then fermented in nine temperature-controlled wooden vats for three weeks to produce approximately 600 cases per year.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.