Château Pavie Macquin Saint-Emilion 2025 - 1er Grand Cru Classé (Primeurs)

Located right next to Troplong-Mondot, Pavie-Macquin has just been classified as a Premier Grand Cru. Stéphane Derenoncourt and Nicolas Thienpont know how to bring out the best of the terroir while giving it a modern style suited to the tastes of today’s consumers. Full-bodied and rich, Pavie-Macquin’s wine gains in finesse and harmony with each new vintage, showcasing the inimitable truffle notes and mineral tension characteristic of the edge of the Côte Pavie.

A new, understated, all-glass tasting room offers a breathtaking view of the village of Saint-Emilion. Pavie-Macquin retained its status as a Premier Grand Cru Classé in the latest Saint-Emilion classification in 2012. This well-deserved recognition honors the remarkable work carried out at the château by its manager, Nicolas Thienpont, and his consultant, Stéphane Derenoncourt. Since the late 1990s, this duo has transformed the estate, drawing heavily on biodynamic principles (though not certified). A series of fantastic wines—combining magnificent fruit intensity with great depth on the palate—has crowned this groundwork. These wines stand out from their Pavie and Pavie Decesse counterparts with a texture that is both more restrained and more supple, offering a deep yet always very lively flavor. A sure bet well known to wine lovers, Pavie-Macquin has not put a foot wrong in recent years.

Pavie Macquin 2025 is a powerful, well-structured wine. In most vintages, Pavie Macquin is sensual and silky, but the 2025 came across as quite tannic during this tasting. Aromas of dark-fleshed fruits, chocolate, menthol, licorice, sage, and lavender contribute to an impression of intense density and pure power. Floral notes on the nose brighten the finish. I can’t wait to see how this wine ages. Tasted twice. 2033–2065

Fragrant and crystal-clear, with aromas of raspberries, flowers, and citrus. Medium-bodied, it features fine tannins and a crisp finish with salty notes. A linear and complex wine with a unique balance. 14.1% alcohol. 78% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.

This 2025 is a wine—a truly great wine. Right from the nose, it reveals depth and nobility, richness, and aromas centered on violet and elderflower. The attack is striking; the tannic structure coats the palate, and the tension is monumental. A truly great wine destined for the history books. This blend of 78% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon has a very low pH, a result of the limestone terroir that imparts a tension found nowhere else. A truly great bottle, befitting the quality of the vintage.

Aromas of cherries, plums, tobacco, cinnamon, spearmint, and a cigar box immediately captivate the nose. On the palate, it is velvety, refined, smooth, elegant, and fresh. The red fruits display refinement and purity. The concentrated finish lingers on a blend of lively, refreshing mint, tobacco, spices, black raspberries, and Morello cherries. The rains in late August greatly contributed to the balance between the fruit and the wine’s dynamic freshness. Without this additional moisture, the alcohol content would have been higher and the grapes would have been less ripe. The wine is a blend of 78% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.2% alcohol, pH of 3.35. Harvest took place from September 12 to 25. The yield was 30 hectoliters per hectare. Best enjoyed between 2029 and 2060.