Chateau Pavie Macquin 2016

ANTONIO GALLONI: "The 2016 Pavie-Macquin is an epic wine in the making. Powerful, dense and explosive in the glass, the 2016 is simply dazzling. A rush of dark cherry, plum, lavender, spice and licorice builds in a sumptuous, beautifully layered Saint-Émilion that screams with character. More than anything else, the 2016 impresses for the way it balances structure and fruit intensity. The tannins are imposing, but there is a creaminess to the fruit that renders them barely perceptible. A move towards gentler extraction paid off hugely. What a wine!"

DECANTER: "One of the coolest terroirs of St-Emilion, with clay and limestone at a height of 77m, on one of the highest spots of the plateau. It has a punch of cool blue fruits, with rippling tannins and a whirl of freshly cut mint on the finish. You will need to be patient, but expect to be richly rewarded. 70% new oak. A Derenoncourt-Thienpont wine. Drinking Window 2026 - 2045"

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, fester Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung, intensive reife Beerenfrucht, feine florale Aspekte, angenehme Edelholzwürze, hochattraktives Bukett. Saftig, reife Kirschen, feine, tragende Tannine, tolle Frische und Rasse, dunkle Beeren und etwas Nougat im Abgang, tolle Länge, sehr gelungen."

JAMES SUCKLING: "This is very linear and driven with a precise and driven center palate. Full-bodied, tight and compact. Energetic and well formed. Give it at least five years. Try from 2024."

JEB DUNNUCK: "Possibly the finest vintage of this cuvée to date, the 2016 Château Pavie Macquin comes from a cooler, later terroir on the upper plateau and checks in as 82% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 50% new oak. This deep, inky-colored effort boasts a rock star bouquet of blackcurrants, black cherries, white truffle, graphite, and spice. Deep, rich, and powerful on the palate, yet also balanced, elegant, and seamless, with ultra-fine tannins, this seamless beauty needs a decade of cellaring and will keep for 4-5 decades."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Just fabulous, the wine fills your glass with palate staining fruits, rocks, stones, flowers, licorice, smoke and juicy, perfectly ripe, fresh cherries and plums. Full-bodied, pure, fresh and vibrant, the energy in the wine and purity in the silky, sensuous fruits is just great! This is gorgeous and if it is your style of wine, (I am sure you can tell it's mine) you should have this wine in your cellar."

THE WINEADVOCATE: "Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Pavie Macquin charges out of the glass with gregarious black cherries, warm blackberries and wild blueberries scents followed up by loads of red roses, baking spices, cedar chest and unsmoked cigars sparks plus a waft of wild thyme. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is an exercise in poise, revealing layer upon layer of cherries and berries flavors and tons of savory nuances, framed by firm yet exquisitely ripe tannins, finishing very long."

WEINWISSER: "Tiefes Granatpurpur mit violettem Rand. Duftige Kräuter und Schattenmorellen, dahinter Kirschsaft und heller Tabak. Am straffen, muskulösen Gaumen mit roten Pflaumen, im Rückaroma sehr elegant bleibend und dann explodiert er förmlich mit rotbeeriger Frucht im langen Finale."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "This juicy wine wears its alcohol lightly, contrasting the tannins and firm structure with freshness and acidity. Blackberry flavors dominate along with attractive perfumes. Drink this impressive wine from 2025."

WINESPECTATOR: "Engaging, with a gush of warm raspberry, plum and boysenberry compote flavors leading the way, while red licorice, apple wood and sweet tobacco notes strut through the finish. Nice intensity overall gives this a mouthwatering echo and pulls you back for more. Best from 2023 through 2038."