2005 Château Pavie-Decesse

($295-$300) Saturated, deep ruby-red. Superripe black fruits, licorice, graphite and violet on the nose. Wonderfully sweet and scented on the palate, with terrific aromatic lift to the explosive dark fruit, mineral and floral flavors. The wine's powerful rocky minerality and high-pitched berry fruit nicely leaven the almost exaggerated ripeness of the vintage, giving this wine terrific freshness and extending its finish. An outstanding combination of sweetness and power. I can see this improving in bottle for 20 years.

Author: Stephen Tanzer

Issue: May/June 2008

Blackish purple. Very unattractively overripe aromas reminiscent of damp fur on the nose. Extraordinary depth of colour but horribly dry on the palate - this really is like sucking a plank. Tarry and syrupy. Drying yet very alcoholic on the finish. Lacks freshness. Where is that lovely, straightforward ripe fruit of 2005? And on the finish it just disappears. (tasted blind, but only once)

Author: Jancis Robinson

Issue: 04/19/2006

Displays stunning aromas of crushed blackberry, strawberry and raspberry, with hints of sandalwood. Full-bodied, with focused flavors of fruit, toasty oak, vanilla bean and cedar. Long and caressing, this is a powerful yet balanced red.

Author: James Suckling

Somewhat of a paradox to taste, on the palate this wine is close to perfection, but the nose is somewhat reduced, with some fig and prune notes. What doesn't make sense is that the palate is fresh, full-bodied and super-concentrated, with great blue, red and black fruits, licorice, earth and spice. This is a massive wine, but the nose has me worried.

Author: Robert Parker