Pavie Macquin 2019 (1.5L)

97+ WI / 97 JA / 97 JS / 97 WCI / 97 FS / 96+ WA / 96+ JD / 96 DE / 95 WS / 95 VM / 95 WE / 17.5 JR

A blend of 78% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 Pavie Macquin is deep garnet-purple in color. It bursts with expressive blackberries, boysenberries, and ripe plum scents plus hints of dried mint, cast-iron pan and wood smoke. Full-bodied, rich and powerful in the mouth, it has amazing tension and velvety tannins, finishing very long. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent

Violet-edged floral attack, hitting you straight up with the full range of concentrated black fruits and spices. Such a great quality wine that stands out from the pack. Full of nuance, just when you think you are done it pushes another flavour into the room. The texture is controlled and precise, with slate edges that slow down its progress through the palate; just all round excellent terroir and winemaking. Tasted twice, a week apart, and its the depth to the palate that really sets it apart, and the mouth-scrapingly slow slate finish. Drinking Window 2028 - 2044 - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

Lots of roses and dark fruit, such as blackberries and brambleberries on the nose. Full-bodied, yet tight and poised, with real focus and firmness and seamless tannins that run the length of the wine. Minerality and persistence in a cool way. This is very serious for the vintage and for the cellar. Try after 2025. - James Suckling

The 2019 Pavie Macquin has turned out very well indeed, unwinding in the glass with aromas of blackcurrants, cherries, burning embers, black truffle and licorice, framed by a deft framing of new oak that's more discreet than was the case even a few vintages back. Full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it's deep and layered, with a strikingly vibrant core of fruit, powdery, chalky tannins and a long, penetrating, youthfully firm finish. Tasted alongside older vintages, it's clear that the Thienpont team have eased off extraction, which allows the quality of fruit that this fantastic vineyard produces to express itself all the more completely, delivering the finest Pavie Macquin since 1998. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate

The 2019 Château Pavie Macquin comes from a beautiful, cooler terroir located just outside the village of Saint-Emilion. A wine that always demands bottle age, its deep ruby/purple color is followed by a tight, reserved wine with notes of ripe cassis, mulberry, and blackberry fruits as well as notes of spring flowers, sandalwood, and flowers. The purity is truly something, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a rich, layered mid-palate, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. This is a wonderfully complete, nuanced, flawlessly balanced Pavie Macquin that will round into form with just 5-6 years of bottle age yet keep for 2-3 decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

Gorgeous ripe aromatic blackcurrants on the nose. Seriously expressive with sweet touches of milk chocolate - an element of Black Forest gateau to this. Direct and linear on the palate, focussed and precise but with excellent clarity and minerality. You get the blood iron, wet stone slate in both flavour and texture on the tongue against the high toned cherry and redcurrant fruit. Lots of energy here, it's almost holding back from being fully expressive. Great potential and lovely finish with chocolate, minty freshness and liquorice spice. Drinking Window 2025 - 2043 -Georgina Hindle, Decanter

This unfurls as seductively as a cashmere scarf, offering black tea and incense notes amidst a lush wave of dark plum, fig and blackberry reduction flavors. The subtle inlay of charcoal, tobacco and sweet bay adds length and detail through the finish. Gorgeous. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2024 through 2038. —James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

The 2019 Pavie Macquin is exotic and beguiling right out of the gate. Succulent dark cherry, white truffle, leather, tobacco, blood orange, cedar and mint all meld together in the glass. As always, Pavie Macquin is defined by its sumptuous fruit, plush contours and total allure. Pavie Macquin is not exactly subtle, but it sure is delicious. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

The wine, from the vineyard on the top of the Pavie hill, is complex and rich. Solid tannins and dark fruits show strongly here with power and density. The weight of the wine is lightened by acidity that shines through this fine wine. Drink from 2026. Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast