2012 Pavie Decesse

95 POINTS

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

from Chantal and Gérard Perse, this St.-Emilion is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. It is interesting that the small vineyard of 8.5 acres (which I have walked) sits above Pavie on a steep, pure limestone outcrop. This is the quintessential limestone-based wine, with a liquor of powdered chalk mixed with cassis and blackberry. Very concentrated (almost painfully so), this highly extracted, full-bodied, massive, rich and powerful wine needs cellaring. Everything is present for a great future. This is one of the superstars of the vintage. Unfortunately, production of Pavis Decesse is minuscule, as a large section of the vineyard was incorporated into Pavie. This wine, with its opaque purple color and great density and richness is a connoisseur’s dream. Forget it for 5-8 years and drink it over the following three decades. (95+)

93 POINTS

Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar Insider

Licorice, spice, earth, plum, black cherry and stone notes are made more interesting by the soft, sexy, plush textures, polished tannins and the long, spicy, silky finish. 92-94 Pts

93 POINTS

James Molesworth - Wine Spectator

Delivers expressive, ripe, flowing notes of raspberry coulis, plum sauce and warm fig that pick up anise, black tea and well-roasted apple wood flavors along the way. The flashy finish pumps along authoritatively, showing integrated toast and a gorgeous echo of fruit. Best from 2018 through 2028. 350 cases made. –JM

92 POINTS

James Suckling

This is really decadent with intense fruit as well as vanilla and coffee character. Full body, velvety tannin and a long finish. Layered and intense. Savory. Needs three or four years to come together.

91 POINTS

Neal Martin - Wine Advocate

A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, cropped at 26hl/ha and aged in 80% new oak – this has a very opaque bouquet compared to the 2011 that needs several minutes to unfold. There are precocious red berry fruit, incense and cedar notes. The palate is seems to be nicely balanced, although there is still a little malolactic to be finish in this sample. The tannins appear fine however, and the finish is long and grippy in the mouth. Tasted April 2013.

90 POINTS

Ian D'Agata - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Moderately saturated medium ruby.  Deeply pitched nose combines blackcurrant, mocha, minerals and complex soil tones.  Silky, supple and quite suave for the vintage, but with lovely acid cut and spice lifting the dark fruit flavors in the mouth.  A very pure example of Pavie-Decesse, this wine expands nicely on the back end and finishes with mounting but smooth tannins.

Matthew Jukes

16/20

Julia Harding MW - JancisRobinson.com

Drink 2020-203090% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. Black core and deep purple rim. Very ripe damson fruit and very powerful oak influence at the moment (80% new). Firm grip but not hard, just very powerful and concentrated, almost tarry. Impressive rather than refined, though perhaps that will come. Pretty impenetrable now. (JH)  (16,5+ points) 16/20