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. 93-95 points

This is a good Pavie, with a good amount of clear water between it and the second wine. There`s no doubt that this is a big wine, high on extraction of black fruits, coffee and tar aromatics, but the overall feel is velvety and fresh, as it was in 2016. 80% new oak has been used this time, compared to 100% previously, but still for 24 months, and the estate has continued their practice of beginning harvest a little earlier than in the past (helped by the vintage of course), getting going on 20 September this year. It`s a very good wine for the vintage, with impressive texture, and they are doing a very successful job of moving towards a more sculpted feel without sacrificing their signature. They had no blockage of maturity here, and no frost; the altitude and the limestone saw to that. 95 points

37 ha (91 acres) planted in a single block. 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fermented in wooden vats. Aged in 80% new oak. pH 3.61, TA (sulphuric) 3.78 g/l. Total vatting 38 days. Black-hearted with purple rim. Rich and dark and packed with fruit, and here the oak char adds a savoury quality and does not overwhelm the fruit. Excellent freshness – everything is embryonic but in a powerful but harmonious whole. A particular style but well done in that style. Chewy, compact and all so concentrated. Needs time to unfurl. 17++ points

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