2003 Château Pavie
Community Tasting Note
Decanting Queen Likes this wine:
92 Points
Tuesday, April 2, 2024 - Purchased awhile ago and saved for my daughter’s 21st. She has a bum birth year but I did some research and this was one of the better performing 03’s, supposedly.
In reality, I was disappointed although enjoyed the lovely experience of drinking it with her. The nose was sweet fruit and similar on the palate, but the alcohol was just too much for me and ruined all the other good things about this wine.
Fortunately, she enjoyed it and appreciated the effort.
Much preferred the ‘03 La mission and the ‘03 Abreu Thorvelios. So there are some decent ‘03s to be found. But for the price, I would not purchase another ‘03 Pavie!!
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2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue (1,656 views)
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Comment posted by MN Wine Junkie:
4/3/2024 1:04:00 PM - This makes me wonder if I should be drinking my Pavie's earlier than usual....I have a few 15s and 16s...might be time to pop one open!
On a separate note, 03 was a pretty decent year for Port...and those would last throughout her life! Also, not a terrible year for Sauternes, although I find most (Yquem is an exception) being too sweet, i.e., not enough acidity. On a positive note, 2003 Yquem is still priced pretty well (under $300). Good luck and Happy Birthday to your daughter!
Comment posted by zimmy07:
4/4/2024 11:07:00 AM - say what? 2003 Bordeaux are on fire!!! No wine is in a better drinking window right now. 2003 Montrose is maybe the wine of the vintage and one of the best Montrose ever! 2003 LLC, Leoville Poyferre, Pontet Canet, and many others... I did juts get a magnum of 2003 Pavie, you now have me scared. No doubt Right bank 2003 is not as strog as left
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
4/5/2024 4:25:00 PM - The '03 Bdx were def hit and miss. The key was in knowing which ones to buy...Poyferre, Pontet Canet, Angelus, Pape Clement, Branaire Ducru, Bellevue, Cos d'Estournel, Montrose, Sociando Mallet have all performed quite well. But many have not.....92 still isn't a 'bad' score? I was a bit disappointed in my '03 Ducru B.
Comment posted by MN Wine Junkie:
4/5/2024 4:28:00 PM - Hope life is treating you well Mark! You guys missed a pretty good tasting in Miami!
92 isn't a great score either.....especially at around $300/bottle. :)
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
4/5/2024 4:45:00 PM - I agree....I hate spending $300 for a 92 but I'm guessing it was a lot less on release. As Pavie has moved up the chain of command over the past 10 years, the secondary market is treating all their past vintages as if they were deserving when clearly some, were not.
Sorry we missed the Miami show, just poor timing for us.
Comment posted by MN Wine Junkie:
4/5/2024 4:53:00 PM - I have some in my cellar (much younger), but I hear they are a more modern style.....unlike a lot of people here, I hate cracking open young, expensive Bordeaux (LOL...Cali too for that matter!)
Comment posted by Decanting Queen:
4/6/2024 6:11:00 AM - 92 is an excellent score from me, to be clear.
But as Mark says (and we have consumed many 03 together) the vintage was unusually hot and is hit and miss. I would not call the Pavie a miss, but it isn’t one of the greats of the vintage like for example Angelus or LMHB. (And yes, many others, just trying to give a RB and a LB example that I am familiar with).
Much as it has sentimental value, I buy 03 BDX with caution. Unlike ‘96 which I buy as a no brainer.
And those who prefer Napa to Bdx will adore this Pavie.
Comment posted by MN Wine Junkie:
4/6/2024 9:35:00 AM - Sorry....I wasn't trying to imply 03's were bad, more that 92 was a poor score.....just think 03 is not as good as other vintages, IMO, and 92 is not a great score for $300 wine....but hey, that's me! I do own a few 03's (Cos, Lalande, Lascombes, Climens and Yquem). I hear Lafite made a great wine in 03 (I have not tasted one). I have tasted Mouton, and thought it was pretty thin. I was thinking more of outstanding wines and more choices. I would suggest you look at Rhone (northern & southern) & Rhone blends (LaLa's, SQN, etc.). Anyway....enough pontificating from me! :) I am sure your daughter will appreciate anything you give her or open with her!
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
4/6/2024 9:52:00 AM - I'm not much of a Rhone guy, Jason....
Comment posted by MN Wine Junkie:
4/6/2024 11:28:00 AM - I am surprised Mark! I thought you liked SQN, Andremily and Saxum, to name a few! If you never had any, you should try Guigal's LaLas and some Rhone wines like Chave, Rayas and Clos des Papes (to name a few)
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
4/6/2024 11:34:00 AM - Jason, 2 or 3 bottles a year on average for me and I kind of have to be in a mood for them usually. Like when I'm really, really tired of just Napa and Bdx.
Comment posted by Decanting Queen:
4/6/2024 11:44:00 AM - Jason most of the time he drinks those are with me. Mark doesn’t buy any of those himself, but I force a regular tasting on him!!!!
Comment posted by zimmy07:
4/6/2024 11:44:00 AM - MN Wine, Northern Rhone may be my favorite wines. BUt SQN and Saxum are not Chave Hermitage, Guigal La La's, or Allemand Cornas. I am on SQN list and buy Saxum, as they are crown pleasers when people come over, but not sure liking one region (CA vs Rhone) means you like the other. Most people I know who are huge Rhone fans dont like SQN and vice versa.
Comment posted by Decanting Queen:
4/6/2024 11:48:00 AM - Fully agree with that Zimmy.
Comment posted by MN Wine Junkie:
4/6/2024 11:53:00 AM - I get it Zimmy.....I like both, but I also have a fair amount of friends that are either new world or old world, but not both! Still, on a personal note, hard for me to imagine people not liking any of the wines you mentioned!
Comment posted by MN Wine Junkie:
4/6/2024 11:54:00 AM - Jennifer, I get it! Still, he did score them pretty high!
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
4/6/2024 5:00:00 PM - Jason....some of the '03s like the Cos were 97-98 point wines for me.
Comment posted by Decanting Queen:
4/6/2024 5:03:00 PM - 92 is a poor score? Read the scoring guidelines. I have been collecting wines for my daughter her whole life, wines of all kinds. I’m not sure why my comments on this Pavie are so provocative.
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
4/6/2024 5:04:00 PM - DQ...I like the yearly tasting of the great wines! Floats my boat......for the rest of the year. Wish I liked having them more often but I guess I just don't find the complexity or levels in them like I do the great cabs and Bdxs we drink?
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
4/6/2024 5:07:00 PM - zimmy, I agree....totally different animals. And I have been VERY disappointed too many times in the poor quality of certain Rhone wines. Some taste just like dirt and don't improve! Yet others are magical.
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
4/6/2024 5:09:00 PM - Jason, I would say thus far I prefer the New World......but even then, I think I'd take a pinot most nights! Unless Jen is pouring a really good Cali rendition like Andremily/Saxum, etc......
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
4/6/2024 5:11:00 PM - Jason, regarding my scores.....I much prefer the Cali vs the Rhones in scoring. Very much a New World guy.
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
4/6/2024 5:13:00 PM - Jen, I don't know why your score was so provocative, either. Sounded maybe a point generous to me.
Comment posted by MN Wine Junkie:
4/6/2024 5:48:00 PM - sorry Jennifer....spell check and my lack of proof-reading got me. "Sorry....I wasn't trying to imply 03's were bad, more that 92 was a poor score....." should have read, "Sorry....I wasn't trying to imply 03's were bad, nor that 92 was a poor score....."
Comment posted by MN Wine Junkie:
4/6/2024 5:52:00 PM - Jennifer, I think 92 is a very good score....just think $300+ wines should score higher....that's all.