1986 Pavie
By Chateau Pavie
1986 Pavie from Chateau Pavie, Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux
The 1986 Pavie from Chateau Pavie remains a singular and distinguished entry in the annals of Saint-Emilion’s vinous history. This particular offering is laced with the hallmarks of a season that provided challenges and triumphs in equal measure—a narrative as romantic as the rolling landscapes of Bordeaux itself.
A Vintage of Rigour and Reward
1986 was a year that tasked vignerons with a gamble against nature’s whims. It was a vintage that required nerve, precise timing, and an unflinching dedication to craftsmanship. The perseverance of the team at Chateau Pavie is captured beautifully within this wine—an embodiment of meticulous winemaking under pressure. For the oenophile and investor alike, this vintage stands as a touchstone for understanding how climatic adversity can yield vinicultural magnificence.
Complexity and Character
The wine’s structure is a masterclass in balance and depth, achieved through relentless attention to terroir-driven viticulture. Tasting the 1986 Pavie unveils an intricate tapestry threaded with ripe dark fruits and an earthy minerality that speak to its origins. The astute integration of tannins bespoke of Saint-Emilion's limestone bedrock has only become more eloquent with time, suggesting that this particular bottle boasts a longevity that continues to reward those patient enough to appreciate its evolution.
As a purveyor of fine investment-grade wines, discerning collectors recognise the nuanced exuberance of such an aged specimen. The 1986 vintage, now nestled comfortably in maturity, represents a compelling proposition for investors looking for wines that can gracefully withstand the flux of time.
Appending Perspective to Provence
In the context of contemporary Bordeaux offerings, it befits one of acclaim to reflect on how rarified these mature vintages have become. The 1986 Pavie showcases an era-distinct profile that’s becoming increasingly cherished as newer vintages chart their future course. There is gayety in the glass here –a celebration of survivorship through Bordeaux's mercurial climate.
In summation, the 1986 vintage from Chateau Pavie enflames nostalgia while offering an archival quality for those vested in the lore of Saint-Emilion terroir. Its integration, complexity, and resilience illuminate both a physical sense on the palate and an allegorical sense within the timeline of fine wine investment.
Market price (CAD)
$2,800.00
12x75cl
Highest score
87
POP score
240
Scores and tasting notes
Beginning to fade and show a more attenuated style than it did earlier, the 1986 Pavie has a garnet color with considerable amber at the edge. A nose of sweet stewed vegetables, dried Provencal herbs, sweet and sour cherries, and earth is followed by a medium-bodied wine, with the tannins begin to take over the wine’s personality. The wine was quite impressive young, but has not held up with cellaring. Anticipated maturity: Now-2006. Last tasted, 1/03.
Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 31 December 2002
Tasted at the Fine Wine Experience's Pavie vertical. A deep, dark mahogany core with tawny rim. It has a light, rather smudged, almost lifeless bouquet though there is no signs of any oxidation or volatility. The palate is actually better than the nose: nicely balanced with firm tannins although the black olive/leathery tinged fruit is rapidly fading, leading to a very conservative, dispirited finish. Tasted June 2010.
Neal Martin - Wine Journal Sep 2011