2017 Château Pavie-Decesse

There was no frost in the vineyard in 2017, due to its elevation. This is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, and 100% of the grapes come from the limestone plateau. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Pavie Decesse bursts from the glass with bold notes of crushed black cherries, baked plums and boysenberries plus wafts of licorice, smoked meats and cracked black pepper with a hint of tree bark. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers wonderfully concentrated, crunchy black fruits and racy acidity to balance with firm, ripe, rounded tannins and a very long, very minerally finish.

The 2017 Pavie-Decesse, which was bottled in July 2019, offers copious black cherries and boysenberry fruit on the nose. Fine delineation here, very pure with floral notes (violet and peony) developing with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, gentle grip with impressive focus towards the finish. It will need a few years in bottle to lose its sinew, but this appears to have obtained more balance since I tasted it from barrel.

Coming from a vineyard just above Chateau Pavie, the 2017 Chateau Pavie Decesse is a brilliant blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc brought up all in new oak. It reveals a dense purple/plum color as well as stunning notes of creme de cassis, caramelized black cherries, graphite, crushed rocks, and candied violets. Deep, massively concentrated and powerful, yet with considerable elegance, fine tannins, and outstanding length, it’s a magical wine. Give it 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following 20-30 years.