Château Pavie Macquin 2005

Château Pavie Macquin is a St-Émilion Premiere Grand Crus Classés property that exemplifies the connection between man and terroir.  The estate boasts a rich history that is heavily steeped in a century-spanning relationship between vine and vigneron.  The grand vin of Château Pavie Macquin are considered truly extraordinary, with a beautifully pronounced  minerality that captures the truest essence of St-Émilion terroir.

The property was once a part of the large estate of Ferdinand Bouffard, a very popular 19th Century négociant. Ferdinand Bouffard is famously accredited for the inception of the illustrious Premiere Grand Crus Classés A property, Château Pavie.  Château Pavie Macquin was a smaller portion of the estate and was  acquired by Albert Macquin, who was the leading specialist in grafting American rootstock to European vitis vinifera vines.  His remarkable work helped vignerons in Bordeaux combat the catastrophic phylloxera plague at the turn of the century.   In the true tradition of the times, Château Pavie Macquin was named after Macquin.  

The 15-hectares of vines are located on the Côte Pavie, near the vineyards of Château Pavie, Château Pavie-Decesse and Château Troplong Mondot.  There are nine different types of soil, with different variations of limestone and clay.  Before 1988, the wines of this estate were fairly mediocre and it wasn’t until the self-made vigneron - who seemingly the Midas touch - Nicolas Thienpont joined the team in 1994 that the quality of the grand vin skyrocketed. Soon critics began to take notice.  Nicolas Thienpont’s grandfather purchased Château Troplong-Mondot and though there was a familial connection to winemaking, Nicolas studied law and philosophy at University before venturing into the Wine Trade.  One might even go so far as to say that his interests in philosophy and law explain his devotion to producing wines in the image of terroir: it is the law he lives by.   

Nicolas staunchly believes that the quality of a wine is the expression of its terroir.  Château Pavie Macquin switched to organic farming, using 100% organic techniques for vineyard management.  It seems like Nicolas’ strong principles serve him well, as every vineyard he manages and implements his techniques at achieves a wealth of accolades and critical acclaim.  It was Nicholas Thienpont’s management that turned Château Larciss Ducasse into a Premiere Grand Cru Classé in 2012 and Château Bellevue into a Premiere Grand Crus. 

Château Pavie Macquin has vineyards that are planted with 80% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The vines tend to ripen a bit later here, and the grapes are optically sorted before vinification at Château Pavie Macquin.  In the vat room, the wines are fermented whole berry in a mixture of concrete and oak fermenters.  In truly great vintages, the grand vin does require a bit of time to fully reveal themselves and we suggest letting them rest for 10-12 years.  The wines at Château Pavie Macquin have been described as richly concentrated and lush wines with long finishes.  They are extremely generous and offer a beautiful combination of power and minerality.      

"As of 2006, Pavie Macquin is one of St.-Emilion’s new Premier Grand Cru Classés, although the 2006 reclassification of St.-Emilion has been suspended by a Bordeaux judge because of a pending lawsuit from three estates that were demoted (justifiably in my opinion.) Their 2005 may be the finest wine they have yet produced – even better than their brilliant 2000 and 1998. From a 37-acre vineyard, this blend of 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon is fermented in open top tanks with pigeage, malolactic in barrel, aging on its lees, and batonnage, all a la Burgundy. It achieved 14.5% natural alcohol, which must be an all-time record at this estate. Over 4,000 cases will be produced. A fascinating wine that reminded me of a top vintage of Ausone, it represents the essence of its terroir as well as richness. Black/purple to the rim with an extraordinary, intense nose of crushed rocks, spring flowers, blueberries, blackberries, creme de cassis, licorice, and camphor, it possesses superb depth, huge tannin, and massive concentration as well as freshness (from acidity and definition). This legendary effort should be drinkable in a decade, and last for 35+ years. Out of this world!" - Robert Parker Jr, The Wine Advocate (4/29/2007, Issue 170) Ratings: 96-100, Drink: 2017-2042

"A blend of 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, from a cool limestone terroir on the plateau, the 2005 Château Pavie Macquin is extraordinary juice, and the finest vintage of this cuvee I’ve ever tasted. Sporting a saturated purple color as well as an off the hook bouquet of crème de cassis, blackberries, smoked earth, chocolate, and Asian spices, with a sensational sense of minerality developing with time in the glass. Deep, full-bodied, massively concentrated, and multi-dimensional, it’s just now at the early stages of its drinking plateau and it will probably keep for another 2-3 decades. Count yourself lucky if you have bottles of this in the cellar!" Jeb Dunnuck, Bordeaux Overflow (10/15/2018) Rating: 98