Chateau Pavie Macquin

About the producer

Next time you drink a great glass of Saint-Émilion, you have Château Pavie Macquin to thank. In the late nineteenth century, Albert Macquin, who introduced the vine growers of Bordeaux to grafting American rootstocks, became the property's owner and his descendants continue to run the estate more than 140 years later. A professor of the University of Bordeaux declared Macquin was "the grand master of the Saint-Émilion transformation" from ungrafted to grafted vines that could survive the onslaught of the Phylloxera aphid in the future. Its current manager Nicolas Thienpont and consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt have worked tirelessly since the 1990s to elevate this property's vineyards to new heights.

In the vineyard

Pavie Macquin has always had the raw materials for success: clay-limestone soils and a fantastic position. It counts Pavie, Troplong Mondot and Trottevieille as neighbours. It's no surprise that Merlot makes the running at Pavie Macquin – this is prime Saint-Émilion territory. Cabernet Franc plays the supporting actor role, accounting for around one-fifth of the final blend. Since 1990, organic and biodynamic practices have been adopted on this 15-hectare site but there is no certification as yet.

In the winery

Pavie Macquin is now fulfilling its brilliant best, confirmed by its promotion to Saint-Émilion's premier league in 2006, with classification as a 'Premier Grand Cru Classé'. The grapes are picked relatively late at Pavie Macquin before being fermented in wooden and concrete tanks. The wines spend up to 18 months maturing in new oak; four-fifths of the barrels are first fill. Expect a plush, suave style with fabulous tension on the finish.

About the producer