Vintage
The 2005 vintage is an immense vintage characterized by dry year throughout the growing season, with a fairly significant water deficit. Cool nights during the month of August allow to maintain a good level of acidity and the aromas are enhanced by the concentration. Merlots and Cabernets are harvested in great sanitary conditions during a nice Indian summer. This vintage, made to travel through times, offer us powerful, elegant wines, with a beautiful tannic structure
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
23/09 to 03/10.
Aging
100% new oak barrels for 24 months.
Surface area
37 hectares.
Average age of the vines
44 years.
Blend
70% merlot, 20% cabernet franc, 10% cabernet sauvignon.
Yields
28 hl/ha.
Tasting notes
This is the eighth vintage of Pavie produced under the ownership of Mme. and Mr. Perse, and it was a classic year which demonstrated that the château has a truly exceptional terroir. The color is a deep and dense purple, with violet highlights which underscore the wine's youth. Its clean aromas highlight good intensity and well-defined fruitiness. Black currants, blueberries and assorted black fruit are present, together with flattering chocolate and spicy notes derived from careful aging in barrel. The first impression on the palate is faultless, and the quality of the vintage becomes evident as its taste evolves. The wine shows a full body, both tight and supple at once. Everything comes together to create an exemplary balance. The tannins are fine-grained, with a structure which ensures a long and brilliant future. The wine's class and nobility express the care taken during vinification to respect the vintage's potential. The finish is mouth-watering and long, worthy of a great Saint-Emilion. This is a beautiful, polished 2005 whose powerful and fine structure produces a full and round impression. Forget it in the cellar for at least five years, but its great potential will allow the wine to age successfully for 20 years or more.
Commentary by David Biraud
World's Best Sommelier Competition 2016 - Best Craftsman of France Sommelier 2004
