Château Pavie

Château Pavie is one of the four Premier Grand Cru Classé A wineries of Saint-Émilion. Located southeast of this famous Bordeaux village, on land that was once home to peach orchards known as "pavías" (hence the name), the origin of the estate dates back to the late 19th century, specifically 1873, when the merchant Ferdinand Bouffard inherited the property along with other neighboring plots in the area.

Throughout its history, the château has had several owners. The latest and current owner is Gérard Perse, a millionaire and former Parisian cyclist, who acquired it in 1998 after also purchasing Château Monbousquet and Château Pavie-Decess. Under his management, and with Jean-Baptiste Pion as winemaker and cellar master, and Michel Rolland as consulting oenologist, Pavie has enhanced its facilities with the installation of a modern irrigation system in the vineyard and the construction of a new winery designed by architect Alberto Pinto.

The vineyard spans 37 hectares, with vines nearly half a century old. From its clay-limestone soils grow merlot, cabernet franc, and cabernet sauvignon vines, which Château Pavie uses to produce its two red wines: the grand vin, traditionally named after the estate itself, and the second label, Arômes de Pavie, which from the 2005 vintage onwards was renamed Tour Simard. The low yields of the vines (averaging 30 hectoliters per hectare) result in the wines of this Premier Grand Cru Classé A of Saint-Émilion being very limited, concentrated, and intense.