2010 Chateau Pavie Macquin Premier Grand Cru Classe B, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 1x750ml

Vinous 94+

(14.7% alcohol; 3.24 pH): Fully saturated deep red. Ripe aromas of spicy red cherry jam, plum, dried herbs, sweet spices and clove. Rich, ripe and dense on entry, then austere and precise in the middle, showing deep flavors of cassis, cinnamon, minerals and savory herbs. Finishes lush, floral and long, with a chocolatey note. This bright, seamless wine strikes me as a very ripe but not over-the-top style of Pavie Macquin. It improves noticeably with aeration, becoming more minerally and less obviously ripe, and I really didn’t notice the high alcohol. Great wine. [Ian D’Agata, 01/03/2014]

Robert Parker 93

Tasted at the Union de Grand Cru in London. The Pavie-Macquin has wonderful delineation and poise on the nose: raspberry, wild strawberry, crushed stone and a hint of apricot. It is quite modern in style ” but wonderfully controlled and generous, almost to the point of Burgundian purity. The palate is medium-bodied with super-fine tannins. There are hints of sage and quince infusing the red fruit profile, whilst the finish is silky smooth. It is perhaps just a little sweeter than I envisaged out of barrel? Hopefully it will calm down in bottle. Tasted November 2012. [Neal Martin, 11/01/2012]