Pavie 2010 a 'Perfect' 100

Two small verticals of Pavie and fellow Saint-Emilion “A” cru classé Angelus were included in the magazine and Pavie’s 2010 was the biggest “winner”, rising from 98 to 100-points. Pavie now has four wines with 100 Parker points since 1989: the 2000, 2005, 2009 and 2010 – only Haut-Brion, with three, comes close.

Angelus however had more upgrades (six) overall, while Pavie had just the one and, particularly among its ‘90s and early ’00s vintages, suffered five small downgrades to Angelus’ three.

The 2003 wines from each estate were downgraded, Pavie from 99-points to 96 and Angelus from 99 to 98. The Pavie example had even been upgraded from 98+ to 99 in August last year. As Parker noted, it was a wine, “born under considerable controversy, receiving accolades and kudos from me and several of my American colleagues, but generally excoriated by the British press.”