Chateau Pavie   Pavie

2009 Pavie

By Chateau Pavie

2009 Pavie from Chateau Pavie, Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux

The 2009 Pavie is a testament to the fortuitous alchemy of nature's influence on viticulture. Chateau Pavie, a bastion of Saint-Emilion's winemaking prowess, has outdone itself with this particular vintage. I recall the year's optimal conditions, where early bloom and judicious weather patterns led to grapes achieving full ripeness with superb balance.

 

The Quintessence of 2009 Terroir

Delineating this vintage from its predecessors, 2009 Pavie presents a tapestry of deep berry flavors crowned by a velvety texture that both intimidates and enchants the palate. It is a blend that epitomizes the confluence of expert winemaking and the benevolence of an exceptional growing season in Bordeaux.

 

A Vintage Defining Decade

As we revisit the 2009 Pavie some years on, it's apparent that this vintage stands shoulder to shoulder with the most illustrious years of Bordeaux production. The warmth of the vintage imparted a generosity of fruit, while also nurturing tannins to develop with a finesse rarely achieved so early in bottle maturation.

The organic articulation of terroir through its nuanced trinity—plum, cassis, and a hint of graphite minerality—speaks to the wine's origin and style. Standing at an intersection where power meets elegance, it continues to evolve with grace in the cellar. The exemplary structure alludes to its formidable potential as an investment piece.

Navigating through its complex layers reveals a stratification not only of flavor but also of potential yield for those who invest in such prestigious bottlings. It becomes clear that the 2009 Pavie from Chateau Pavie is not merely another stellar vintage but a cornerstone for collectors and investors alike.

 

In Vino Veritas: The Investment Merit

In the realm of fine wine investment, vintages such as the 2009 Pavie serve as exemplars—the embodiment of what collectors seek and markets value. Its emergence during a period heralded for its superb vintages across Bordeaux only fortifies its standing amidst oenophiles and investors. Indeed, it is a wine that offers a richly textured narrative along with promising cellar longevity.

In summation, the 2009 Pavie from Chateau Pavie symbolises an extraordinary vinous achievement from one of Saint-Emilion's most vaunted addresses. For connoisseurs seeking to diversify their portfolio or simply cherish an opulent Bordeaux experience, it stands resolutely as one of the most compelling investments from this epochal year.

Market price (HKD)

HK$28,198.76

12x75cl

Highest score

100

POP score

147.5

Scores and tasting notes

100

Deep garnet in color, the 2009 Pavie drifts effortlessly and profoundly from the glass with baked plums, spice cake, sandalwood, Black Forest cake and blueberry pie scents followed up with a fragrant undercurrent of potpourri, unsmoked cigars and bouquet garni. Full-bodied, rich and plush, this is pure seduction in the mouth, offering a taut yet velvety texture and oodles of freshness to frame the opulent fruit, finishing very long and mineral laced.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 14 March 2019

100

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+.

Robert Parker Jr - Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012

98

This is a powerful wine with mineral and dried flowers. Full-bodied, with firm tannins yet they are very polished and beautiful. It goes on for minutes. It is so layered and deep. It needs at least 10 years before opening. It is a dense and deep wine.

James Suckling - jamessuckling.com, April 29th 2012

92+

Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The Pavie ‘09 has a lovely ripe bouquet with blackberry and dark plum fruit. It exudes restraint and class. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity, a lovely citrus fruit but with a slightly baked quality towards the finish. Still, overall this is a lovely Saint Emilion, one that stylistically surprised a few experienced palates when its identity was revealed. I think it will merit a higher mark in the future. Tasted January 2013.

Neal Martin - Wine Journal Jul 2013

Vintage performance