2021, Château Pavie Macquin, SAINT-ÉMILION, Grand Cru

Bordeaux Blend: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot.

Stéphane Derenoncourt and Nicolas Thienpont produce this impressively concentrated wine from vines that are situated between Pavie and Troplong Mondot.

Another success this year is the 2021 Pavie Macquin, a promising effort that offers up aromas of sweet berries, Indian spices, liquorice and bay leaf. Medium to full-bodied, layered and incisive, it's a tensile, tightly wound wine that's concentrated and penetrating, concluding with a mineral finish. Its low pH profile means that this is always an estate that gains a lot from élevage, but even at this early stage, it's clear that this has excellent potential. 93-95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate.

Lots of blackberry and inky character to this year. Always refined and polished with lovely length and medium body. 79% merlot, 19% cabernet franc and 2% cabernet sauvignon. 94-95 James Suckling.

The 2021 Pavie Macquin clearly has the most fruit concentration amongst Nicolas Thienpont's portfolio with black cherries, blueberry and bilberry fruit, just a faint touch of orange rind in the background. The palate is fresh and well-structured on the entry, insistent grip and a pleasant seam of sapidity running through this Saint-Émilion. More "vertical" than usual, this is nicely focused with a delineated, quite mineral-driven finish that showcases its asteriated limestone terroir. Excellent. 92-94 Neal Martin.

Beautifully poised, dark ruby in colour, full of rippled fruit flavours, stands out in the appellation. It hasn't got miraculously riper than all the rest but it is handled with skill, and has a truly juicy mouthwatering finish and slate tannins that show grip and tenacity against the serious, austere structure. Expect raspberry, greengage and redcurrant fruits that need to fatten out a little over ageing, but everything is in place to do so. This is the plateau speaking. 94 Jane Anson.

Bramble, coffee and caramel notes on the nose. Juicy and vibrant on the palate, this has a gentle coursing of strawberry and blackcurrant fruit with blackcurrant leaf giving a savoury, almost herbal edge, while the crushed stone and slate bring in minerality and salinity on the finish. Detailed and nuanced - I like the overall texture, there is grip and aromatic interest with density, chew and a gorgeous core of acidity that keeps things playful and joyous. Supremely alive and thriving on the palate with a persistence that doesn't let up. I love this and think it will be excellent after ageing. Tasted twice. 94 Georgina Hindle, Decanter Magazine.