2002 Château Pavie (France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru)

Threw this into a bbq mix where many a Napa Cabs were served (as well expected of me), and oh yeah... and I wrapped it in foil. Let's have some fun.
Opened at 1pm. Served at 5.
Initially this showed some reddish fruits of raspberries and red currant with a hint of strawberries. I spend a few minutes with it right after pop and thought to myself how it fit into my expectations of what I thought it should taste like according to others notes and conversations about Pavie in general, this being my second Gérard Perse era Pavie. This was Bordeaux, and a real nice Bordeaux indeed.
By time it was served it was fun to watch the group taste and guess and much more of the same. Someone said Napa Cab right off the bat, others guessed mid nineties Napa Cabernet. Color was a pretty hue of carmine with burnt-umber edges and transparent throwing a slight/fine sediment. The crowd looked toward me suspiciously. I said nothing. It had real nice purity with a tremendously expressive midpalate with an almost pinot-like mouth feel. There was some nice hints of cedar and spice-box with tobacco, lite-soy sauce, and smoke. What I really loved was that strawberry note, and this in particular combined with some damp cellar floor, earth and a very real 'Regal-ness' told me we were firmly right of the Gironde.
Someone said 2002 or 2003, I nodded yes. OK, time for a hint: It is a Bordeaux varietal other than Cabernet Sauvignon. Someone said it was not Merlot; sleuth-Nano needed another pour (or two) and Cheryl who knows me all to well said 'Somebody had to have gifted you this wine Mike', to which I gave a BIG grin; they were onto me and it was time to reveal my one and only bottle of Bordeaux to a boisterous and laughing crowd.
I liked this one alot.

2000 Château Pavie - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

Opened 6 hours earlier. This was dark with crimson edges. The nose was black cherry and cassis driven. The palate showed some wonderful intertwined red and black fruits of cherries, cassis, pomegranate, and red plums. It had a super-pure and hint of a lush mouth-feel that was amazingly precise and focused. The tannins were clean and aligned with nary a hard edge showing, but I am sure there is more resolving to do. Velvety smooth hiding a hint of brawn. Wow, this really had it all: ground coffee, creme de cassis, Kirsch Royal, tar, worn leather, sun warmed stones, some dried herbs, some vanilla bean and more. A structure that was near mind boggling, this walked the tight rope of balance like a Wallenda brother at the height (pun intended) of his career. The finish went on for a minute and a half, and the fruit never let up. Ever. Sheer joy. (97 pts.)