Chateau Pavie Decesse 2001
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Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
Product Details
Winemaker Notes
A dense ruby-black colour. The first nose develops aromas of candied red fruit and toasting notes, while the second is almost exotic. The attack in the mouth is lively with tight tannins, however the red fruit comes through and adds roundness to the wine. Excellent aromatic complexity (coffee, chocolate, liquorice, plum jam) and powerful tannins, revealing a wine with very long ageing potential. As one illustrious taster has said, "this elixir charms both the palate and the intellect".
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This 23-acre vineyard, acquired by Gerard and Chantal Perse in 1997, is situated on the south-facing limestone plateau above Chateau Pavie. This blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc (from vines averaging 41 years of age) was cropped at a meager 30 hectoliters per hectare. After a five week maceration, the wine was aged 18 months in 100% new oak, and bottled unfined and unfiltered (as are all the Perse wines). An inky/ruby/purple color is accompanied by rich aromas of Asian spices, soy, black truffles, licorice, espresso, and intense cherry and blackberry fruit. It displays great intensity, medium to full body, low acidity, and high tannin. This beauty is not far off the pace of the blockbuster 2000.
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Wine Spectator
Big and Porty, with loads of berry, vanilla, spice and floral character. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, rich finish. Very impressive. Best after 2009.
Other Vintages
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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.