2009 Pavie

100 POINTS

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

Bottled the week before I arrived, the 2009 Pavie appears to have barely budged since I tasted it two years ago. Many experts consider this phenomenal terroir to be nearly as great as that of Ausone. Made from a classic blend of 60-70% Merlot, 20-25% Cabernet Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, this inky/blue/purple-colored blockbuster reveals wonderful notes of blackberries, crushed rocks, roasted meats, spring flowers, cedar, blueberries, graphite and a hint of vanillin. With extravagant fruit and high extract as well as a hint of minerality, this structured, massively intense effort is typical of all the luxurious, perfect or nearly perfect Pavies produced under the Perse regime (which began in 1998). While built for 40-50 years of cellaring, the softness of the vintage and its flamboyant style is slightly less apparent in the 2009 Pavie than in some of the other Perse wines. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050+.

98 POINTS

James Suckling

This is so structured and powerful with amazing depth of fruit and tannins. Blueberry and cherry aromas come through clear. The palate is full and powerful with chewy yet polished tannins and a long, long finish. Really impressive. Needs decanting, if you want to drink it now. One for the cellar.

98 POINTS

James Molesworth - Wine Spectator

This is massively rendered, with powerful notes of dark fig, currant and blackberry fruit intertwined with ganache, maduro tobacco and tar. Yet the overall impression is both polished and driven, with a buried graphite edge and lingering spice notes that hint at the reward for extended cellaring. It's amazing to see the results when ambition and execution are equal. Best from 2020 through 2040. 7,080 cases made.

98 POINTS

Alan Duran - Periodic Review of Wine

The fully-rimmed, opaque purple colored Pavie is another crowning achievement for Bordeaux. It is every bit as capable as Gérard Perse's magnificent 2005, and his super 2003. The sensationally complex aromatics boast seared beef juices of a la plancha, scorched earth, cassis, blueberry, stone-dust, pain grillé, and spice-mix. While massive, fresh and pure, it shows tremendous size to the potent fruit along with amazing richness, a full-body, and density. The symmetry of this Pavie is stunning considering its expansiveness of silky-fruit. This is not a heavy wine. You cannot deny that this is a brilliant achievement in winemaking. It will prove to last close to four decades. Maturity period 2018-2040+

97 POINTS

Bernard Burtschy - Le Figaro

La concentration est toujours aussi impressionnante avec un vin corpulent et athlétique, mais l’ensemble est doté de tannins extraordinairement fins et le terroir lui donnera dans quelques années élégance et finesse comme on peut le constater dans les 1998 et même autres 2003. La robe est impressionnante et le nez encore fermentaire. En bouche, le vin est souple et rond avec de superbes tannins fins, le vin est bouleversant par sa grosse matière et sa masse tannique, il possède beaucoup de potentiel sans compter sa superbe finale très goûteuse. 70 % merlot, 20 % cabernet-franc, 10 % cabernet-sauvignon.

96 POINTS

Stephen Tanzer - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

(a blend of 70% merlot, 20% cabernet franc and 10% cabernet sauvignon): Deep saturated ruby, one of the darkest wines of the vintage. Vibrant nose offers scents of blackberry, blueberry, minerals, dark chocolate, violet and garrigue. Lush, superconcentrated and voluminous, with plenty of energy to give shape to the mouthfilling dark fruit, dark chocolate, cedar and crushed rock flavors. This huge yet silky wine finishes with powerful fine-grained tannins and outstanding palate-staining persistence. I'd wait a good ten years before pulling the cork. A great vintage for Pavie, and one of the most impressive 2009s I've tasted.

96 POINTS

Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast

A super-rich wine, but one that has managed to retain a superb balance. It is powerful, dense and concentrated, but there is also complexity from the wonderful juicy fruits.