Description
The first vineyard planted on the Knights Valley Estate, Les Pavots (“The Poppies”) remains the signature wine of Peter Michael. Spanning 49 acres, Les Pavots rises to nearly 1,400 feet in elevation. Merlot and Cabernet Franc are planted on the cooler upper slopes, with Cabernet Sauvignon thriving in the warmer sections just below. Always a Cabernet Sauvignon–led Bordeaux blend, the distinctive aromas of this exceptional wine clearly express its hillside terroir. Hand-harvested, vinified with meticulous care, and aged for 18 months in French oak, this stunning wine stands shoulder to shoulder with the finest estates of the Old World.
The 2015 vintage began with an unseasonably warm early spring, followed by cool, moist conditions in May. Steady, warm temperatures then dominated the remainder of the growing season, providing ideal ripening conditions. A surge of heat toward the end accelerated harvest, resulting in the earliest finish date in the winery’s history. Meticulous fruit sorting produced wines of impressive depth, concentration, and balance.
The 2015 Les Pavots offers a deep, layered bouquet of cacao powder, dried blossoms, dried red fruits, black cherry, currant, blueberry, and liquorice, complemented by nuances of cigar box, graphite, vanilla, and black truffle, with a refined garrigue note. Extremely full-bodied, the palate is dense, round, and seamless, with supple tannins, savoury clove and tobacco elements, and elegant patina notes leading to a long finish accented by subtle minerality. A classic expression of the estate’s terroir, this wine will age gracefully for two decades.
