2007 Chateau Pavie Macquin Premier Grand Cru Classe B, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

Good deep red-ruby. Black cherry, blackberry, licorice and spices on the nose, complicated by hints of dried fruits and dried herbs; exotic yet refined. Supple, suave and dry in a positive way, with an edge of acidity and underlying minerality firming the flavors of plum, spices and tobacco leaf. Finishes with sweet but firm tannins and excellent focus and lift. For all its structure, this is still a relatively pliant version of this wine.

Tasted at BI Wine & Spirits' 10-Years-On tasting, the 2007 Pavie-Macquin has quite a rich and opulent bouquet that is clearly trying to surpass the limitation of the vintage. There is pleasant purity, and certainly, it is less herbaceous than many of its peers, with peppermint-tinged red cherry and cranberry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a mixture of red and black fruit, quite caressing in texture, with a well balanced if not overly complex finish. While it does not possess the length of a great vintage, it is a pleasing Saint Emilion that is perfect to consume now. Tasted February 2017.

– The Wine Advocate#231, June 2017

(13.5% alcohol; 3.68 pH): Bright ruby-red with a pale rim. Strong torrefaction aromas currently overshadow delicate aromatic herbs, licorice, violet and redcurrant jelly on the nose. Bright and fresh on entry, showing lively redcurrant, mineral, licorice and saline flavors and a touch of alcohol at the back. This is atypically high in pH and low in acidity (4.7 grams per liter) for Pavie Macquin, but low compared to many other Bordeaux wines. This smooth, satisfying wine lacks the concentration of the best vintages, but offers earlier than usual accessibility.

The 2007 Pavie-Macquin is another wine from a challenging year. The early part of the season was cool and rainy. August turned quite hot and humid. The team waited as long as possible to harvest, but in some years there is not much that can be done. Grilled herb, licorice, smoke, game and tobacco give the 2007 Pavie-Macquin its distinctly hearty, rustic personality. Bright acids and pointy tannins are the vestiges of a cold year. Dried out fruit and a range of green/vegetal notes suggest the 2017 is best enjoyed sooner rather than later.

Not very expressive though there's a hint of sweet leafy damson fruit. Richer and rounded on the palate but not especially long. (JH)

Youthful, healthy crimson. Mild mellow nose with ripe fruit in evidence. Very middle of the road in terms of intensity, fruit ripeness. A little bit taut and timid. Rather a lack of juice on the mid palate. Pinched finish. Some char. (JR)