Chateau Pavie is a Saint-Emilion Premier Cru Classe A wine producer in Bordeaux, France. Located on the Right Bank of Bordeaux, It is as renowned as its Left Bank counterpart Chateau Lafite Rothschild.
The slopes of Chateau Pavie were first planted by the ancient Romans in the fourth century. However, Chateau Pavie did not become famous as a Bordeaux wine producer until almost two thousand years later. A portion of Chateau Pavie was sold off in 1885 to the well known, Bordeaux wine negociant Ferdinand Bouffard. It was Bouffard’s desire to increase the size of the vineyards. In time he managed to put together a 50 hectare vineyard with an annual production that ranged from 12,500 to 15,000 cases per year, which made Chateau Pavie one of the largest estates in the Right Bank.
Jumping ahead to the next century and the start of the First World War, Ferdinand Bouffard sold Chateau Pavie to Albert Porte who eventually sold the vineyard to the Valette family. The Valettes were well known Bordeaux wine negociants from Paris. Chateau Pavie was classified as Premier Grand Cru Classe “B” while under the Valette family’s management in 1954.
In 1998, Gerard Perse, who already owned Chateau Monbousquet purchased Chateau Pavie from the Valette family for $31,000,000. Chateau Pavie experienced a rebirth thanks to the drive and the spare no expense attitude of Gerard Perse and Chantal Perse. Chateau Pavie completed a renovation of the entire estate shortly after it was purchased by Gerard Perse. The project took two years to complete and was finished in 2000. In 2011, Chateau Pavie once again began a complete renovation of the entire wine making facilities.
In 2012, according to the new Classification of Saint-Emilion, Chateau Pavie and Chateau Ausone was elevated to Premier Grand Cru Classe A, joining the well-known Chateau Cheval Blanc and Chateau Ausone.
The 42 hectare St. Emilion vineyard of Chateau Pavie is truly three unique and different terroirs. Each also has its own micro-climate. In the terroir, there exists serious layers of limestone, deep clay deposits of clay soil. At the lower portion of the vineyards, you find sand, clay and gravel soil. The vineyard is planted to 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, farmed using sustainable, vineyard management techniques. Part of the goal at Chateau Pavie is to produce wine from ripe grapes and low yields. Vines are cropped low, with four to eight bunches per vine as a function of the varietal. Deleafing and green harvesting take place. Low yields are important to the quality of Pavie.
The wine Chateau Pavie is fermented in different ways depended on the vintage. It is kept on the skins for three weeks in 20 temperature-controlled wooden vats. Malolactic fermentation in barrel and the wine is aged, depending on the vintages in 70% to 100% new oak, for 18 - 32 months. The wine combines the Old World elegance and balance with the New World power. Besides, Chateau Pavie also produces its second-label wine, originally named Chateau Pavie Tour Simard, changed into Aromes de Pavie from 2005.