Vintage
It was a challenging year regarding climatology, with alternate moments that were unfavorable for the proper development of the vines and others more beneficials, which overall kept our technical teams on their toes during the growing season. Throughout the spring and summer, our precise interventions in the vineyard proved to be decisive in maintaining good sanitary conditions and helping the healthy growth of the grapes. Fortunately, the sun sets in during the month of September and October reassuring our team and allowing the berries to reach their best maturity. This Indian summer sublimates the vintage and offers us to harvest in good conditions. This vintage, which needed some time, reveals today the beauty of our terroirs.
Growing methods
Pruning down to 8 buds for the old vines and to 6 buds for the young vines. Thinning, leaf-stripping. Grapes picked and sorted by hand.
Vinification
Temperature-controlled wooden vats. Malolactic fermentation in barrels.
Harvest
22/09 to 8/10.
Aging
100% new oak barrels for 18 months.
Surface area
37 hectares.
Average age of the vines
40 years.
Blend
70% merlot, 20% cabernet franc, 10% cabernet sauvignon.
Yields
25 hl/ha.
Tasting notes
Intense purplish-red colour with garnet-red highlights. The oak comes through most of all on the nose at this stage, with roast coffee and chocolate aromas. However, the fruit is not far off. 2002 Pavie is full-bodied and elegant on the palate with fine-grained, elegant tannin that is neither unyielding nor dry. This wine is beautifully round with a very attractive mouth feel. It provides a sort of robust, immediate pleasure just as it is starting to open up, but needs to be decanted to dissipate some of the oak influence (which will integrate over time). Black fruit predominates on the palate, and the wine is best served with braised beef cheek, roast rack of veal, partridge, venison or other tasty game dishes.
Commentary by David Biraud
World's Best Sommelier Competition 2016 - Best Craftsman of France Sommelier 2004
