2002 Pavie Decesse

Rather dull red. Comforting fruit-cake traditional nose. Lively and fresh and a very nice whole. One of the more appetising St-Émilions. Dry finish but not drying. I see I was very hard on this wine from Gérard Perse, owner of Pavie, en primeur and am delighted to have been proved wrong on the basis of this particular sample. (JR)

Deep ruby-red. Dark raspberry and black cherry aromas, lifted by minerals. Very suave on entry, then minerally and gripping in the middle, with a restrained sweetness and excellent flavor definition. This came across as less opulent than the 2002 Monbousquet tasted alongside it but more minerally and detailed. Finishes with impressive tannic spine and a note of licorice. Has the backbone to reward eight to ten years of patience. Very strong for the vintage.

An amazing achievement in this vintage, although not at the level of the prodigious 2003, 2001, or 2000, the 2002 Pavie Decesse is a dense ruby/purple-colored, full-bodied wine revealing notes of dried herbs, fruitcake, licorice, black currants, and cherries. Textured, fleshy, and concentrated, this is one of the stars of the Right Bank in this challenging vintage. Its low acidity and plush style suggest enjoying it now and over the next 15+ years.