2006 Pavie
By Chateau Pavie
2006 Pavie from Chateau Pavie, Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux
The 2006 vintage from the prestigious Chateau Pavie is a striking testament to the resilience and finesse that Saint-Émilion's terroir can offer. Graced by the mildew challenges of early summer followed by an idyllic September, the 2006 Pavie triumphs as one of maturity and splendour from a year that tested even the most skilful vintners.
Exceptional Pedigree: A Vintage's Journey through Adversity
Nestled on the right bank of Bordeaux, the limestone-rich slopes of Chateau Pavie have yielded a 2006 vintage both robust and layered—a clear reflection of careful cultivation meeting a tumultuous growing season head-on. The charge of Merlot is pronounced this year, drenched in complexity due to lower yields but superb ripeness due to the extended hang-time afforded by a warm autumn.
Critical Acclaim and Investment Prowess
Garnering recognition from esteemed critics for its compelling bouquet and depth—with notes of black cherry, cassis, and subtle hints of tobacco and cedar—the 2006 Pavie does not shy away. Its palate, rich with plum and a bevy of dark fruit, is buttressed by beautifully integrated tannins that promise potential for further ageing, assuring fine wine investors of its longevity.
As an asset, the allure of this particular vintage lies in its steadfast evolution—a trait that makes it particularly attractive for those looking to diversify their investment portfolio with fine wines that carry stories of overcoming nature's challenges.
In summing up, the 2006 vintage from Chateau Pavie stands as an embodiment of Saint-Émilion's indomitable spirit—a meticulous blend shaped in a year where each decision weighed heavily towards opulence or obscurity. For connoisseurs and investors alike, this offers not just a sensory delight but also the reassurance of astute investability—encapsulating much more than mere hedonistic pleasure within its velvety depths.
Current market price
$3,800.00
12x75cl
Highest score
96
POP score
142.5
Scores and tasting notes
The 2006 Pavie, a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, is cropped low as the viticultural work is impeccable, the winemaking is thoroughly Burgundian in style, and bottling is accomplished with no fining or filtration. With over 90 acres in vine, this is one of the larger of the premier grand cru classes in St.-Emilion. A prodigious effort, the 2006 does not have the sucrosite of the 2005, 2003, or 2000, but it would not be embarrassed if tasted side by side with either of those two titans. A dense purple color as well as an extraordinary perfume of crushed black currants, licorice, wet stones, and subtle background oak are found in this tannic, dense, masculine-styled 2006. Backward and extraordinarily pure, it is built like a Manhattan skyscraper with exceptional focus, depth, texture, and length. It’s all here, but 5-10 years of patience will be warranted. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035. Since 1998, no other Bordeaux estate except Ausone has had such a superlative record of quality. Pavie’s wines are usually among the top half-dozen in every vintage, including such challenging years as 2004, 2003, 2002, and 1999. Proprietor Gerard Perse’s flagship vineyard is situated on a gorgeous, south-facing slope possessing three distinct soil types, limestone, clay, and a sand/clay mixture.
Robert Parker Jr - Wine Advocate #181 Feb 2009
Tasted at Bordeaux Index's annual 10-Year On tasting in London. The 2006 Château Pavie has a rich, generous, almost opaque bouquet with raspberry coulis, crushed strawberry, vanilla and melted tar, very well-defined and focused - perhaps more so than the 2006 Angelus? The palate is well balanced with fine tannin, a keen line of acidity, very harmonious in the mouth with black cherries, wild strawberry, citrus fruit, a touch of tar and tobacco developing towards the finish. It leans towards Cheval Blanc in style, but whatever its semblances, it remains a very well-crafted Saint Emilion with a long future ahead. Tasted January 2016.
Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate, 29 May 2016
Tasted at the Fine Wine Experience’s Pavie vertical. A clear deep garnet core. The nose is very intense with pure blackberry and cedar fruit, still a lot of oak to be subsumed into the wine but fine definition. Just a warmth of alcohol and then a touch of black olive with further aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with thick chewy tannins on the entry, very dense and backwards, enormous weight and concentration, a broad-shouldered sinewy Pavie that attacks from the front. At the moment, this has better delineation on the finish compared to the 2005 although nowhere near the same bravura or unashamed decadence. Tasted June 2010.
Neal Martin - Wine Journal Sep 2011