Wine Advisor
Pavie Decesse 2005
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Somewhat of a paradox to taste, on the palate this wine is close to perfection, but the nose is somewhat reduced, with some fig and prune notes. What doesn’t make sense is that the palate is fresh, full-bodied and super-concentrated, with great blue, red and black fruits, licorice, earth and spice. This is a massive wine, but the nose has me worried.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Sadly, only 415 cases are being made from this 9+ acre vineyard that averages 46 years of age. Planted on a high limestone plateau above Pavie, it is composed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. A spectacular offering from Gerard Perse fashioned from yields of 33 hectoliters per hectare, its upbringing includes a 35-day maceration, malolactic in barrel, and aging on its lees for six months. A liquid mineral component dominates the nose of the opaque purple-hued 2005. Full-bodied with wonderful elegance and precision, its relationship to Pavie can be seen in its broad texture and long, concentrated creme de cassis, raspberry, and blueberry notes. Its aging in 100% new French oak has been beautifully absorbed, leaving only subtle hints of espresso and chocolate. This structured, tannic beauty will require a decade of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2040+.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
As it did in 2000 and 2003, this tiny garagiste estate (just over 8 acres) owned by Chantal and Gerard Perse has produced a monumental wine in 2005. A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc fashioned from yields of 33 hectoliters per hectare, it receives a 4-5 week maceration, malolactic in barrel, and aging on its lees, a la top Burgundies. There are only 415 cases, and the wine achieved 14% alcohol. Forgetting its off-the-charts analytical numbers, it is a prodigious effort boasting an inky/blue/purple color, followed by rich aromas of camphor, crushed rocks, sweet blueberries, black raspberries, creme de cassis, and pain grille. Possessing superb intensity, skyscraper-like layers, and huge tannins, it should be forgotten for 5-7 years, and drunk over the following two decades. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2030+.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
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+.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The Château Pavie-Decesse 2005 has an exotic and irresistible bouquet with immense purity: crème de cassis, blueberry, vanilla and violets. The palate is medium-bodied with sumptuous tannin, well-judged acidity, fine structure and poise. There is great depth here, very sensual and with a powerful sweet cassis finish that feels just a little top-heavy and unlike the superior Pavie ’05, shows a little dryness. Give this another few years or so in order to find its equilibrium.
About the Producer
Chateau Pavie Decesse is located in the Saint-Emilion appellation on the right bank of Bordeaux, France, and is one of the Grand Cru Classe of Saint-Emilion. Château Pavie Decesse has strong ties to Premier Grand Cru Classe A, which was originally owned by Château Pavie. In 1885, Ferdinand Bouffard, the owner of Chateau Pavie, decided to reorganise the vineyards and separated a plot of land called "Pigasse", thus giving birth to Château Pavie de Caisse. The estate was then passed on to Mr Marzelle. In 1970, when he died, his wife entrusted the estate to the Valette family, then owners of Château Lafite, who took over the estate in 1990. In 1997, Gerard Perse bought the estate, and the following year, he took it under his wing. Since becoming part of the Perse family, Château de Berfet de Sais has enjoyed the same treatment as Château de Berfet and the quality of its wines has continued to improve. The 3.65 hectares of vineyards of Château Pape de Cais are located on the limestone plateau of Saint-Emilion, next to the vineyards of Château Pape, and have similar terroirs but with different characteristics. The soil is mainly made up of limestone and clay soils and is planted with 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, with an average vine age of 43 years. The limestone gives the wines their freshness, floral aromas and minerality, while the clay provides structure to the finished wines. In the winemaking, Château de Pays follows the modern winemaking philosophy of the Pace family, sharing the same winemaking team as Château Pays. The grapes are harvested by hand after they have ripened and undergo a rigorous manual selection process before moving on to the next stage of the process. Grapes from different plots are fermented separately in three temperature-controlled vats to allow for fine-tuning during the final blend. The maceration lasts three weeks before the wine is transferred to oak barrels for malolactic fermentation. After fermentation, the wine is matured in 80% new French oak barrels for 18-24 months, during which time it is racked every three months. This is followed by blending and bottling. In order to maintain the pure flavour of the wines, no clarification or filtration is carried out on the red wines of Château de Pape de Cais before bottling. Thanks to the excellent terroir, the wines of Château de Pape de Sais are rich and complex, full-bodied, with a fine tannic structure and excellent ageing potential. The red wines of Chateau Pavie Decesse, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe, France, are not only very popular with consumers, but have also been highly praised by prestigious wine critics and magazines.
