Since it was purchased by Gerard Perse in 1998, Château Pavie, one of four St.-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A estates, has become one of the appellation’s most noted wines. A former cyclist who made his fortune with supermarket chains, Perse has modernized and updated the estate with a major replanting program. He also did a complete remodel of the cellars. Perse also owns Château Monbousquet and Château Pavie-Decesse. A sign of Pavie’s new prestige is that it was upgraded to a Premier Grand Cru Class A in 2012 after having been a Premier Cru Class B since 1954. At 103 acres it is significantly larger than such neighbors as Ausone. Pavie is notable for its three quite different terroirs, each with its own microclimate. The vineyards are planted to 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Some 100,000 bottles are produced each year. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that “Pavie is one of the world’s great wines and, in St.-Émilion, exceeded only in price, not quality, by Cheval Blanc.”