Pavie-Macquin St-Emilion 2015

98 points James Suckling: "So much violet and lilac aromas to this with blackberry and blueberry character, too. Full-bodied and delivering limestone, chalk and lavender on the palate. Great structure, too. Needs four or five years to soften. Better in 2022. (12/27/18)"

97 points and 'Cellar Selection,' Wine Enthusiast: "This is a beautifully crafted, structured wine. From its ripe black-currant fruits through the acidity and tense tannins, to the full, generous aftertaste, the wine impresses. It has great fruit, balanced acidity and a good potential. Drink from 2025. Alcohol 14%. (Sep 2018)"

96 points Wine Spectator: "Ripe, pure and expressive, with a beautiful panoply of loganberry, plum and red currant preserve flavors that meld seamlessly with anise and singed apple wood details and a subtle chalky spine. A bright floral accent on the finish lifts this up a register and lets it sail on, holding that note. Best from 2020 through 2040. (3/31/18)"

96 points and 'Top 100 Wine of 2018 (#55),' International Wine Report: "[$100 list] Nicolas Thienpont is at the top of his game and has created another absolute gem in 2015. This blend of 84% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon begins with seductive aromatics of blackberries and dark cherries which are laced with spices and floral nuances all coming together beautifully. On the palate this is full, rich and opulent, with remarkable balance and poise. It continues to impress with layers of dark fruits, which are cut with lovely minerality leading up to the long finish. A stunning wine which will require a bit of bottle age, yet shows incredible promise for an extremely bright future."

93-96 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2015 Pavie Macquin is another tremendous wine from Nicolas Thienpont and his team. Inky, rich and voluptuous the 2015 is endowed with remarkable depth and plenty of underlying energy to back it all up. The flavors are dark, bold and incisive, as are the tannins. The 2015 is going to require quite a bit of time to come together, but it is impressive, that much is obvious. Pavie Macquin is 84% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon picked between September 29 and October 17 and aged in 60% new oak. (Apr 2016)"

94 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate): "Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Pavie Macquin bursts forth from the glass with profound notions of plum preserves, fruit cake, Indian spices and chargrilled meat with touches of black soil, mocha, cedar chest and unsmoked cigars. Full-bodied, voluptuously fruited and decadently styled in the mouth, the packed layers of black fruit preserves and exotic spices are well-matched by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness that sits comfortably in the background, finishing with great length and depth. Drink: 2022-2042. (Feb 2018)"

94 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Notes of cassis, toasted spice, toasty oak, and crushed flowers emerge from the 2015 Château Pavie Macquin, and it’s a rockin’ effort that marries elegance with full-bodied power and structure. With fine, fine tannin, high, yet integrated acidity, and a great mid-palate, it’s more approachable than either of the other Pavie releases, yet is still backward and unevolved. Give bottles 4-5 years of cellaring and enjoy over the following two to three decades. Drink 2022-2052. (Nov 2017)"