2003 Château Pavie-Decesse

This amazing wine has turned out to be a modern-day classic. Like its bigger sister, Pavie, it has dropped some of its baby fat and exoticism, but remains a dense ruby/purple color with notes of mocha, mulberries and black cherry jam buttressed by serious, ripe tannin and decent acidity. Almost over-the-top in its youth, it has calmed down considerably, is well-delineated and pure with great balance as well as a full-bodied, vigorous, exuberant mouthfeel. One of the superstars of the vintage, the 2003 Pavie Decesse is capable of lasting another 10-15+ years.

Good full, healthy ruby-red. Superripe aromas of raspberry, currant and cocoa powder; more liqueur-like and less minerally than the 2004 or 2005. Then fat, sweet and exotic, but with superb concentration and retention of fruit. A rather powerful and very broad version of this wine. Finishes with huge but ripe tannins that call for at least a few years of patience. Gerard Perse bottled this, the Bellevue-Mondotte and the Pavie very late, in February of this year, due to the sheer magnitude of the tannins, and these three wines will all need more time to recover from the mise

Medium ruby. Superripe aromas of plum and currant, lifted by violet and mineral notes. Thick, sweet and lush but with shape. A huge, layered, impressively structured wine, stuffed with dark fruits and exotic spices. The explosive back end features rich, sweet tannins and penetrating sweetness of fruit. Every bit as strong as it appeared to be a year ago.