A tight, pinpointed Pavie Decesse with a medium to full body and racy tannins that are vertical and deep. Takes you down the palate. Chewy. Chalky tannins.

The 2020 Pavie Decesse is a blend of 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc, aging in French oak barrels, 80% new. It has an alcohol of 14.81% and a pH of 3.52. Deep purple-black colored, notions of baked blackberries, preserved plums and black cherry compote come barreling out of the glass, followed by suggestions of dark chocolate, licorice and Indian spices, with a fragrant hint of lavender. The medium to full-bodied palate is jam-packed with rich, spicy black fruits, supported by firm yet beautifully plush tannins and a lively backbone, finishing long with lots of emerging earthy nuances.

From a small vineyard located on the limestone slopes above Pavie itself, the Perse family's 2019 Pavie Decesse exhibits aromas of ripe cherries, crème de cassis and fruit liqueurs mingled with notions of menthol, vanilla pod and cloves. Full-bodied, rich and extracted, it's thick and muscular, with lively acids and prodigious reserves of chewy tannin that assert themselves on the finish. While it is a touch toned down by comparison with the wines produced here a decade ago, it remains one of the inkiest, most extracted wines in Saint-émilion. I tend to think that an even gentler vinification would bear dividends without sacrificing the concentration and intensity of flavor that can be taken for granted with a terroir of such quality and viticulture of such exigence.