1998 Chateau Pavie Premier Grand Cru Classe A, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 1x750ml

Robert Parker 97

The 1998 Pavie is deep garnet-brick in color. So much fruit comes charging out of the gate here: profound creme de cassis, baked blackberries and blackberry preserves with notions of beef dripping, crushed rocks, unsmoked cigar, sandalwood and dried lavender. Big, rich and beautifully impactful, it is completely packed with taut, muscular black and blue fruit preserves, maintaining nice firm grainy tannins with layer after layer of exotic spices, meat and earth notions, finishing epically long and minerally. Should easily continue to cellar for 25+ years. [05/01/2018]

Anticipated maturity: 2018-2043

Vinous 92+

Ruby-red. Sappy, liqueur-like aromas of cherry, raspberry coulis, roast coffee and exotic wood spices. Wonderfully sweet and mouthfilling, but with harmonious acidity giving shape and clarity to the flavors. Finishes quite long, with fine tannins. Not at all overextracted; in fact, here the tannins seem a bit sweeter than those of the ’99. Still unfolding; this may ultimately surpass the ’99. [Stephen Tanzer, 01/05/2001]