2017 Ch Pavie Decesse Grand Cru Classé, St-Émilion

This is very compacted and tight with firm and silky tannins. A focused and intense center palate with excellent dark fruit and a long finish. Tightly wound.

95-96 points James Suckling

The 2017 Pavie, picked from 25 September and matured in 80% new oak, comes in with 14.61° alcohol and a pH of 3.61. It has a clean, pure bouquet with blackberry, briary, cedar and pencil lead aromas, the latter emanating from the Cabernet Sauvignon. This is one of the bouquets that you might mistake for a Left Bank due to the high Cabernet content. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin, layers of black fruit are laced with tar and tobacco – a far less opulent Pavie than recent vintages. Grippy and assertive, a more masculine Saint-Émilion compared to its peers, quite saline towards the finish. It is a Pavie for long-term ageing. Patience required. Drink 2025 - 2048

93-95 points Neal Martin, Vinous

There was no frost in this vineyard in 2017, due to its elevation, and grapes were harvested September 25 through October 3. Composed of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, the very deep purple-black colored 2017 Pavie has a profound nose of crushed blackcurrants, warm black plums and black forest cake with nuances of licorice, espresso, Chinese five spice and violets plus wafts of smoked meats and garrigue. Full-bodied, rich, firm, velvety and packed solid with black and blue fruit layers accented by sparks of exotic spices and floral scents, it finishes very long and incredibly layered. This is a very unique expression of this vintage. 

97-99 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW for The Wine Advocate

Perched high on the limestone plateau of Saint Émilion, Château Pavie Decesse is one of Gérard Perse's finest estates, producing wines that combine the power of the Right Bank with remarkable finesse and precision. Once a little-known vineyard, the estate has been transformed through meticulous viticulture and uncompromising winemaking into one of the appellation's leading Grand Cru Classé properties. Its elevated limestone and clay terroir consistently delivers wines of exceptional depth, elegance and longevity.

The 2017 vintage rewarded careful vineyard management, producing fruit of outstanding purity, freshness and balance. The estate's limestone rich soils preserved aromatic lift and mineral precision, while meticulous selection and patient élevage have created a wine that is beautifully structured, refined and true to its exceptional terroir.

Deep garnet with youthful ruby highlights, the bouquet reveals aromas of black cherry, plum and blackberry layered with violets, graphite and fine cedar. As the wine unfolds, notes of truffle, tobacco leaf, dark chocolate and subtle spice emerge, adding depth and unmistakable Saint Émilion character. The palate is rich yet impeccably balanced, combining concentrated dark fruits with velvety tannins, lively acidity and a finely etched limestone backbone. Long, seamless and elegant, the finish lingers with savoury complexity, floral perfume and exceptional persistence.

A magnificent partner for beef Wellington, roast duck, herb crusted lamb, wild mushroom dishes or mature Comté. Already drinking beautifully with a generous decant, this outstanding Saint Émilion has the pedigree and balance to reward patient collectors over the coming decades.