2021 Les Aromes de Pavie

Coming all from limestone soils and equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc that was brought up in 50% new French oak, the 2021 Aromes De Pavie sports a solid ruby/plum hue as well as a medium to full-bodied, deep, seamless profile in its riper, mostly red fruits, crushed stone, graphite, and floral-laced aromas and flavors. With beautifully integrated oak, ripe, velvety tannins, and a brilliant finish, this is a legit, serious, gorgeous wine. It's probably the best second wine in the vintage. Drink bottles over the coming 15 years.

Quite floral from the initial sniff of the perfume, you also find notes of espresso, cherries and spice in the nose. Medium-bodied, fresh, vibrant, and chalky, there is a nice spicy quality to red fruits, with additional nuances of cocoa, and licorice in the finish that make this already quite nice to enjoy. Aromes de Pavie is no longer the second wine of Pavie. All of the fruit come from a specific 11 hectare parcel, so readers should consider this as a different expression of St. Emilion than Pavie. The wine blends 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2024-2037.

The 2021 Arômes de Pavie has a mixture of red and black fruit, wilted iris flower and violet, more floral than some of the other cuvées under Gérard Perse's umbrella, with just a touch of pencil shavings. The palate is medium-bodied with a sapid, licorice-tinged entry, grainy texture and just a little dryness on the finish.