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Robert Parker, June 2016, Score: 100
The 2005 Pavie is an absolutely amazing wine that has shed most of its oak aging (usually 24-28 months). Opaque purple in color, it is beyond belief in extract and concentration, but perfectly balanced and pure, with the oak well-integrated. Massively concentrated, and still a baby, this wine tastes more like it’s two to three years old than one that’s been around for a decade. Intense notes of grilled meats, spice box, cassis, black cherry, licorice and graphite arepresent in abundance. Enormously endowed, but with superlative purity and balance, this is the greatest Pavie in the early Perse era, starting in 1998. Only the 2009 and 2010 rival this in his opinion, but I would add the 2000. This killer effort should drink well for another 50 years and demonstrates the greatness of this terroir owned by the Perse family. Only 7,000 cases were produced from a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Bravo! Drink: 2015-2065
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Robert Parker, April 2008, Score: 98+
Now that the 2005 Pavie is in the bottle, I would place it, qualitatively, a notch below the prodigious 2000, and a few notches above the blockbuster 2003. There are 7,000 cases of this 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Disregarding the blatant jealousy of his success as well as his “outsider” status, proprietor Gerard Perse has pushed the envelope of quality, fashioning first-growth quality wines from one of Bordeaux’s finest terroirs. In St.-Emilion, only Ausone can be considered to have greater potential in terms of micro-climate and terroir. Pavie’s 2005 exhibits a thick-looking purple color to the rim as well as an exquisite perfume of blueberry and blackberry liqueur, unsmoked cigar tobacco, crushed rocks, damp earth, and hints of truffles and incense. The vineyard’s limestone soils have provided massive concentration, a laser-like precision, fresh, zesty acidity, and massive tannin. Despite the wine’s enormous concentration and intensity, there is a lightness to its style. As Perse has made clear, he is trying to produce modern day versions of such great vintages as 1921, 1929, 1945, and 1947, wines that lasted 50 or more years. I do not understand why Perse receives so much criticism. In the blind tastings of each new vintage conducted by the Grand Jury European, Pavie usually wins against 100 or so other great Bordeaux. As they say, the truth is irrefutable - this is one of the world’s most outstanding wines, and the 2005 Pavie should take its place among the greatest achievements of Bordeaux in the last 50 years. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2060.
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Robert Parker, April 2007, Score: 98-100
Last year I was not sure whether the 2005 would turn out to be better than the 2003 or 2000, two wines that can taste perfect on any given day, especially the 2000. However, this fabulous vineyard has once again produced 7,000 cases of true elixir in 2005, and it looks like this vintage will take its place in the pantheon of monumental Pavies that have been produced since Gerard Perse gained control of this great terroir on the famed Cote Pavie, just outside the medieval village of St.-Emilion. The 2005, a final blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, enjoyed a Burgundian-like, eight day cold maceration, a six week cuvaison, and malolactic in oak. It will spend 26 months aging before being bottled. Its liquid mineral, scorched earth, blackberry, cassis liqueur, and roasted coffee characteristics are accompanied by phenomenal acidity, high tannin, and unbelievable levels of fruit and texture. One would have to go back to some of the last century's greatest vintages to find the equal of this stunning St.-Emilion. Although not the mostconcentrated Bordeaux, it is unquestionably one of the most noble and potentially long-lived. Is it possible that Perse's wines represent cleaner, more modern day versions of the 1921s, 1929s, andright bank 1947s? They are meant to be cellared for 10-15 years, and kept over the following 50 or more. The 2005 Pavie is one of his greatest achievements in terms of richness allied to phenomenal elegance and finesse. The natural alcohol came in around 14%, about the same as in 2003 and 2000. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2050+.
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Robert Parker, April 2006, Score: 98-100
It is increasingly apparent that the simplistic bashing by some wine writers of Gerard Perse and his wines as well as the ŽAmerican taste, is undermining their credibility ... as it should. As each new vintage gets released, consumers can taste Pavie and the other Perse wines and see for themselves how profound Pavie is. There is a reason why the highly respected Grand Jury European rated Pavie ahead of all other Bordeaux chateaux in 2000 and 1999. It is obviously a profound wine. When Jean-Francois Moueix (the owner of Petrus) and I were discussing this, he mentioned that his late father, Jean-Pierre, always believed that after Ausone, Pavie possessed the greatest terroir of St.-Emilion. While it was never exploited to its full potential by its previous owners, Gerard Perse has brought it to the forefront, consistently making one of the top wines of Bordeaux. Moreover, Perses offerings are meant to age for five or more decades. Its hard to judge at this early stage whether the 2005 will be better than the 2003 or 2000, but it is unquestionably a thrilling wine to smell, taste, and reflect upon. Only 7,000 cases are produced from this 112-acre vineyard with an extraordinary exposition. In 2005, yields were a minuscule 30 hectoliters per hectare, the average age of the vines is 43 years, and the blend was 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine receives a 4-5 week maceration, malolactic in barrel a la top Burgundies, and aging on its lees. Perse, who neither fines nor filters, ages the wine for 26 months in barrel. He has recently gone to the additional expense of buying his own trees and having the wood air-dried and coopered to his specifications by the cooperage firm of Sylvain and Nadalie. The 2005 Pavie is reminiscent of some of the great 1900s, 1929s, 1945s, and 1949s. Inky/purple to the rim, with that extraordinary liqueur of minerals interwoven with creme de cassis, blackberries, and juicy cherries, it reveals a subtle note of smoky oak, massive body, a multilayered mid-palate and texture, incredibly high tannin, and dramatic levels of fruit, glycerin, and extract. The alcohol came in at 14% naturally in 2005, higher than in either 2000 or 2003. This is a wine of extraordinary purity, precision, and monumental aspirations. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2050+.
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Jancis Robinson, April 2006, Score: 14.5
Quite extraordinarily dark purple - just like port! Liquorice and spice on the nose. Sweet and syrupy on the palate and then the dry tannins kick in. Extremely heavily extracted - this is a wine on steroids. Where is the gentle refreshment value? Could you lust after a second glass? It is not as crude as some but it is just too far over the top for me, and far too front-weighted. There is nothing left on the finish. (tasted blind, but only once). Drink 2015-22.
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Wine Spectator, April 2006, Score: 95-100
This is a blockbuster. Massive wine, with pure crushed blackberries and hints of wood on the nose and palate. Full-bodied, chewy and wonderful. Pavie is amazing this year.
