This terroir of strong clays on limestone rock gives the wine power, fleshiness, minerality, freshness and generosity.
The Pavie Macquin grape variety, predominantly Merlot, finds its raison d'être in its good suitability for strong clays. The molasses soils associated with the asterisk limestones give power and tension to the wines and a deep flesh. Soils of old colluvium with the presence of silt will bring a little lightness, always with this mineral tension brought by the limestone.
The Cabernet Franc will find its rightful place on soils resulting from limestone where the rock is exposed, because the warming is faster there and it is there that the grape variety excels in bringing to the assembly its “backbone” and its complexity.
2% of old Cabernets Sauvignon come to crown the whole.
This well-known St.-Emilion estate has turned out a dense purple-colored blend of 84% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Super-concentrated, but not over-extracted, with an essence of blackberry, blueberry and black raspberry fruit interwoven with dusty, chalky minerality as well as a floral note, this full-bodied, rich, moderately tannic, pure, layered, impressive 2011 will benefit from 4-5 years of cellaring. It can be enjoyed over the following two decades.
Award:
94 Jamessuckling.com
94 Wine Spectator
94 Wine Enthusiast
93 Wine Advocate
93 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
15/20 La Revue du Vin de France
17/20 Bettane et Desseauve