Arômes de Pavie 2016

Tasting characteristics and tips for Arômes de Pavie 2016 from Château Pavie

Tasting

Color

With a deep, intense purple hue, this wine reveals bright violet highlights.

Nose

The bouquet gradually opens with aromas of crushed black and red cherries, alongside notes of raspberry jam and stewed fruits. With aeration, nuances of exotic spices, violet and mineral touches emerge, complemented by toasty, vanilla notes from barrel aging.

Palate

The attack is supple and round, evolving into a well-defined, grainy tannic structure. The palate reveals a fine concentration of black and red fruit, supported by a crystalline acidity that brings freshness and balance. Silky tannins and a chalky minerality carry through to a long, lingering finish with flavors of candied fruit and sweet spices.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs perfectly with grilled red meats, a lamb stew, or duck breast. It also elegantly accompanies game in sauce, mushroom and truffle dishes, as well as firm cheeses such as Ossau-Iraty.

Serving and cellaring

Arômes de Pavie 2016 is best served between 16 and 18°C after opening for about an hour. This wine can be enjoyed now but will continue to evolve through around 2040.

An outstanding second wine from Saint-Émilion

The estate

The origins of the estate are very old. Vines have been cultivated on the slopes of what is now the Château Pavie since the 4th century. Owned by Chantal and Gérard Perse since March 1998, Château Pavie, a Premier Grand Cru Classé « A », boasts one of the finest terroirs in Saint-Émilion. Château Pavie is renowned for the structure and elegance of its wines.

Arômes de Pavie became, from 2005 onward, the label of Château Pavie’s second wine, succeeding that of Château Tour Simard.

The vineyard

The Château Pavie vineyard covers 37 hectares on the south-east slopes of the limestone plateau of Saint-Émilion. The brown soils, combining limestone, clay and sand, provide drainage and precision. Optimal exposure and high altitude promote balanced phenolic ripening. The vineyard is planted with merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon, with meticulous hand-harvesting. This second wine from Château Pavie comes from young vines under ten years old, as well as from lots not selected for the grand vin.

The vintage

The 2016 vintage proved exceptional for Bordeaux, offering particularly favorable growing conditions. The year allowed optimal ripening of the grapes, encouraging aromatic concentration and balance. Hand-harvesting was carried out with rigorous selection, making it possible to produce wines of great fruit purity and remarkable aging potential.

Winemaking and aging

Arômes de Pavie 2016 was vinified according to the estate’s rigorous protocols, with a three-week maceration in temperature-controlled wooden vats. Malolactic fermentation took place in oak barrels. Aging lasted 18 months in French oak barrels, 50% of which were new, allowing harmonious integration of the wood while preserving the wine’s fruity expression.

Grape varieties

Merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon.