Peter Michael, Les Pavots, Knights Valley 2018

Love the sweet berries, black olives, tile and fresh herbs on the nose with floral undertones. Oyster shell, too. Full-bodied with round, creamy tannins that are beautifully polished and refined. Very long finish. All about finesse and wonderful length. 68% cabernet sauvignon, 19% cabernet franc, 10% merlot and 3% petit verdot. Drink after 2023.

Joining La Verité as one of two Sonomas released through the Place de Bordeaux, Peter Michael’s Les Pavots is his flagship wine, and I am so happy to see it included in the September Releases. A powerful vintage with
plenty of Californian generosity, but with the delicacy and finesse that this mountain site delivers so expertly. Blueberry and bilberry fruits, overlaid with scorched earth, sage and rosemary herbs, all contributing to savoury
Cabernet dominance with densely-packed muscular tannins, layers of tension and grip, and a mouthwatering freshness that makes it totally moreish. 3500 cases. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

More minerality, graphite, and scorched earth notes emerge from the 2018 Les Pavots. Full-bodied and uber-concentrated, it reveals building tannins, awesome mid-palate depth, and one heck of a great finish. It's a serious, powerful, blockbuster beauty that also holds onto perfect balance and a beautiful sense of elegance. It will keep for two decades or more.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Les Pavots presents a beguiling mix of Knights Valley savoriness and the more restrained style that is such a signature of the Peter Michael wines today. A dark, mysterious wine, the Pavots offers up an enticing mélange of dark cherry, gravel, spice, menthol, licorice, lavender, cured meats and scorched earth. There is plenty of virile intensity, but without the heaviness of some past years. The Pavots is in my view the Peter Michael wine that has undergone the most dramatic transformation in recent years, and that's a positive.

Located in Knights Valley, Sonoma, the Les Pavots vineyard is located in the oldest of the estate-owned sites, planted in 1989. It is situated at 1,000-1,400 feet and is quite steep in areas. Composed of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Les Pavots is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a fair bit of coaxing to unlock the intense scents of blackcurrant preserves, ripe black plums and boysenberries with touches of wild sage, tobacco leaf and pencil shavings. The full-bodied palate is densely packed and tightly wound with loads of black fruits, dried herbs and earthy layers, supported by firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and energetic. 3,255 cases were made.