The polemic St-Emilion Pavie 2003

WINE TALK
41

Julian,

Today, good friends, good meals, Pavie and Cheval-Blanc on the table, blind on several vintages (more or less old, more or less ripe).

I’d like to do that, with different people, more or less connaisseurs, in France, USA or China … (Parker, Robinson and Gutierrez in the panel would be great).

42

A friend sent me that :

Excerpts :
_Les notes de 12 experts relatives à 122 châteaux bordelais ont été analysées sur une période de 10 ans (les millésimes 2003 à 2012). Les auteurs de l’étude affirment que ces châteaux représentent plus de 90 % du marché des ventes en primeurs.

Les experts étaient de deux sortes, soit des collectifs, soit des individus. Dans la première catégorie se trouvaient les associations ou revues suivantes (entre parenthèse le pays d’origine) : le Grand Jury Européen (F), Michel Bettane et Thierry Desseauve (F), La Revue du vin de France (F), Decanter (UK), Farr Vintners (UK), et Wine Spectator (US). Les experts individuels retenus étaient presque exclusivement anglo-saxons, à l’exception de Jean-Marc Quarin (F). Il y avait donc Jancis Robinson (UK), Neal Martin (UK), James Suckling (US), Robert Parker (US) et Stephen Tanzer (US). Il est à noter que ces experts (collectifs ou individus) ne dégustent que rarement les vins à l’aveugle.

À Saint-Emilion, ce sont Ausone et Cheval Blanc, les crus classés A ‘‘historiques’’ qui prennent les meilleures notes, proches de Latour et loin devant Angélus et Pavie les très récents promus.

Quand on analyse les coefficients de corrélations entre les experts, on constate une très belle cohérence, statistiquement significative. Cela signifie que ces experts sont d’accord entre eux sur l’ensemble des vins notés (heureusement, nous dira-t-on, si ce sont des experts). Les experts américains semblent plus regroupés, James Suckling ayant le plus haut score de corrélation avec ses collègues. À l’inverse, les scores de corrélation les plus bas sont ceux de Jancis Robinson et de la Revue du Vin de France, ce qui ne signifie pas qu’ils sont de moins bons experts mais qu’ils apportent un jugement un peu différent de celui de leurs collègues.

Quels sont les juges les plus influents ? Sans conteste il s’agit de Jean-Marc Quarin et Robert Parker. Lorsque leurs notes montent de 10 %, les prix des vins s’envolent de 7 %._

43

The 2001 was the real last vintage of this wine that was approaching reserve and “balance”. It is actually aging ok. Like many big big wines, and many overdone members of the opposite sex, age tends to show the ugly wrinkles a lot more. Hey, people still buy it…

44

A Strange kind of Stockholm syndrome … :slight_smile:

45

Interesting - I imagine that in 2019, the opinion about the critics’ influence would be different, but I’m slightly bemused to read of JMQ’s influence on prices.

46

Agreed. Almost completely unknown in America, and none of the UK merchants have ever quoted his score to me. Perhaps Asia, but again, not a name any client has ever mentioned.

47

I also share your surprise … hoping the rest of the text is not too silly …

Surprised by this too :

Pavie 2003 : 19/20
Apogée 2021-2031
Robe profonde, nez très ouvert et émouvant de moka et de menthol qui épure et rajeunit la torréfaction, exprimant à la perfection le paradoxe du millésime. Suave, merveilleusement onctueux, tannin très fondu, long, raisin incroyablement mûr sur le plan précis du soutien tannique. Grand élevage, vraiment le vin attendu dans ce millésime hors norme.

48

I opened Léoville-Poyferré 2003 yesterday evening. Ripe but elegant, balanced, persistant on classy tannins and flavors (17,5/20), much better than Pavie 2003. Wait another five to 10 years.

49

Cheers Laurent, yes, I tried this last year and was agreeably surprised, it was nothing like I feared it would be, very classical and “normal”, I even found it leaned more towards Pauillac flavours than the usual LP spice.

50

We tasted the 2003 Leoville Poyferre two weeks ago, along with other vintages from the property, and it was very evident how “different” the 2003 (and 2004) were from the rest (1966 to 2001). I don’t recall the 03 endearing itself much to any of the 8 attendees.

In my experiences, it is always in verticals where the likes of the 03’s become more differentiated when compared with the earlier styles.

51

To be short, I generally prefer left bank to right bank in the solar vintages 2003 and 2009 (Cabernet-sauvignon and a better integration of alcohol).

Pavie 2003 is unsurprisingly somewhat extravagant.
I really prefer Léoville-Poyferré 2003 (and I wish I could taste Chaval-Blanc 2003 or Ausone 2003 today - Ausone 2009 was incredibly good “en primeur”).

52

So I opened one of my two bottles. I’ll hold the other another decade to see if anything changes. I won’t write it off but I can see why many might.

  • 2003 Château Pavie - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (11/18/2019)
    The wine that Parker and Robinson were at opposite poles over. Bought this to see for myself. Cellared since release, perfect cork and fill. Dark red/purple to rim. Cassis, plum, tar, smoke, oak on the nose, could easily pass as a big Napa cab. Very full bodied, very ripe fruit forward palate, sweet, perhaps approaching jammy but good acidity keeps it fresh, moderate tannins, no complexity, moderately long finish. Very intense wine but more Napa than Bordeaux. Will complexity develop and some semblance of Bordeaux-ness emerge? Not sure, but think it will take another 10 years to find out. I can see the polarizing nature here. If you’re looking for a Bordeaux, you won’t find it here. If big Napa cabs are your thing, this does an excellent job of pushing those buttons. If that style bores you, this wine will put you to sleep. If it offends you, stay away.
53

Thank you, David

Some of my friends found this crual lack of complexity (and elegance) you mention, others found dryness in the finish (this is sometimes the case for 2003).
I really wonder how this wine could create such a polemic.

54

Guy Debord : la société du spectacle : une société marchande et spectaculaire …

et le grand théâtre des primeurs bordelais … neener