Château Pavie 1919

About Château Pavie 1919

The Château Pavie 1919 is a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru and is one of the oldest bottles in our assortment. The label bears the historic designation "1er Grand Cru Saint-Émilion". There was no official classification in 1919; it was only introduced in Saint-Émilion in 1955. Today, Château Pavie belongs to the highest level, Premier Grand Cru Classé A. The 1919 vintage is considered a lighter, early-drinking Bordeaux vintage of the post-war era. Only a few bottles of this vintage have survived the past one hundred years. Those who wish to purchase this Château Pavie acquire a rare Bordeaux collector's wine with over a hundred years of history.

Origin & Classification

Château Pavie is located on the highest plateau of Saint-Émilion, with limestone and clay soils on the plateau and sandy-gravelly sites on the slopes. Ferdinand Bouffard built the modern winery in the late 19th century by acquiring several parcels. In the years after the First World War – around the time of this vintage – ownership passed to Albert Porte, before the Valette family took over the Château in 1943. The grape varietal blend was already predominantly Merlot and Cabernet Franc, as is customary in Saint-Émilion. An official Saint-Émilion classification did not yet exist in 1919, it was only introduced in 1955; the label of this bottle therefore bears the period-typical designation "1er Grand Cru Saint-Émilion" used by the Château itself. In 1954, Château Pavie was officially classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé B, and since the reclassification in 2012, it belongs to the highest category Premier Grand Cru Classé A – one of only four positions at this level. This classification describes the current rank of the winery, not a formal classification at the time of bottling.

The 1919 Vintage

The 1919 vintage in Bordeaux followed a wet July and a hot August. The harvest began on September 20 with a good yield. Contemporary assessments describe the wines of this year as rather light and lacking structure; it was overshadowed by the subsequent vintages of 1920 and 1921. At the same time, 1919 was a solid vintage in an early-drinking style, which is why only a few bottles remain today. The region was still recovering from the consequences of the First World War at this time, including material shortages and currency devaluation. Anyone wishing to purchase such a historic Château Pavie acquires one of the oldest bottles in our assortment. This historical background in particular makes the Château Pavie 1919 an exceptional Bordeaux collector's wine – a bottle that has survived two world wars and more than a century.

FAQ

Is Château Pavie 1919 still drinkable?

With an age of over 100 years and the rather light and early-drinking vintage character typical of 1919, this bottle is not expected to be classically ready for drinking. We recommend treating this bottle primarily as a collector's item and rarity, and not as a wine guaranteed to be enjoyable. Tasting is at your own risk.

What makes Château Pavie 1919 a special collector's item?

The combination of an exceptionally high age of over 100 years, the small number of surviving bottles of this early-drinking vintage, and its origin from one of the highest-classified Saint-Émilion Grand Cru makes this bottle one of the rarest items for collectors and investors.

Does the label bear an official classification?

The label shows the historical designation "1er Grand Cru Saint-Émilion" used by the Château itself. There was no official classification in 1919; it was only introduced in Saint-Émilion in 1955. Since 2012, Château Pavie belongs to the highest official level Premier Grand Cru Classé A.

Is Château Pavie 1919 suitable as an investment?

Exceptionally old bottles like this are also acquired by collectors with a view to rarity and market demand. We do not provide investment advice or guarantee returns – age, origin, and condition serve to assess rarity, not as a financial forecast.