2008 - Pavie Macquin, Saint-Emilion

The 2008 Pavie-Macquin is fabulous. An exceptionally beautiful wine, the 2008 is positively stellar. In the glass, the 2008 is aromatically deep, silky and vibrant. The year was marked by an extremely long growing season with an early start and a late harvest that kept getting pushed back because of unusually cool nights. The Cabernets came in only at the end of October.

The tannins in 2008 were austere and needed patience at first. This is earthy, a little less precise in its aromatics than others in the lineup, given a punch of personality with a great slug of liqourice. A wine that is edging forward extremely slowly, angular tannins hugging tightly on to the limestone minerality. Juicy finish, so mouthwatering, you feel the tightrope walk between acidity and tannins, and the power builds through the palate, opening up to show blackcurrant pastilles, cocoa bean and gunsmoke. This was a very late harvest, heading into the third week of October, after one of the longest growing seasons on record. Part of the classic vintages series within this vertical, and it really lives up to billing.