Chateu Pavie Macquin, a St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé, is a property that has hit form in the last 10 years and is now producing top-tier wines. Chateau Pavie Macquin is located east of the village of St Emilion and its 15 hectares of vineyards are located on the Côte Pavie, adjacent to the vineyards of Pavie, Pavie-Decesse and Troplong-Mondot. Since 1990 Nicholas Thienpoint, of Vieux Château Certan fame, has been in charge of the property. A pioneer of the Right Bank, Nicolas Thienpoint first pushed the boundaries with organic then biodynamic winemaking in developing the property’s style, helped by his soon-to-be-famous maître de chai, Stéphane Derenoncourt, who joined the team in 1990 and still consults today.
Pavie Macquin has a complex terroir which features 9 different types of soil, most of it is clay and limestone soil. You can simplify matters by looking at their northern parcels as being in a slightly cooler, limestone are, and in the south, you find a warmer terroir.
The vineyards of Chateau Pavie Macquin are planted at a vine density of 6,600 vines per hectare. However, newer plantings are being done at a very high density for the Right Bank at 8,888 vines per hectare. At Pavie Macquin they have old vines, many are on average, close to 40 years of age. Their oldest vines date back more than 60 years.
The vines are farmed organically with sustainable farming techniques being practiced. The policy of replanting at Chateau Pavie Macquin is that individual vines are replaced on a vine by vine basis.
This is done using the selection massal technique where the budwood is drawn from existing vines from within the Pavie Macquin vineyard. In time for the 2012 harvest, Chateau Pavie Macquin finished a complete renovation of the estate including all their winemaking facilities, the tasting room and vathouse.
The wine of Chateau Pavie Macquin is at its best, rich, lush, concentrated, long, fresh and packed with minerality, silky tannins, sensuous textures and the ability to age and develop for years. Extraction is obtained through pigeages. On average, the maceration lasts from 30 to 35 days. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel.
Most Common Varietal Blend of Chateau Pavie Macquin
- 80% Merlot
- 18% Cabernet Franc
- 2% Cabernet Sauvignon
Food Pairings And Serving
Chateau Pavie Macquin is much better with at least 10-12 years of aging in good vintages. Young vintages can be decanted for 2-3 hours, or more.
This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment. Chateau Pavie Macquin offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 10-30 years of age after the vintage. It is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift. Best paired with red meat, grilled meats, steak, stew.
Tasting Notes
Delicate, soft, skillfully shaped tannins and mature, dark fruit proffer sweetness and lift at the core of this year's presentation. Full bodied, lush and polished with juicy fruit characteristics, length and complexity, the vintage is about stylish refinement, vibrancy and purity of fruit.
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