Les Pavots 2023 Sonoma County, Peter Michael Winery

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Product number: n32532

Les Pavots 2023
Sonoma County, Peter Michael Winery

Rating in the 100-point quality scale: 98
Quality information: REL 2026

ASL	American Strip Label (additional mandatory label for the US wine market)
BL	Bad Label (beschädigte/verschmutzte Etikette)
BS	Bottom Shoulder (high risk)
CC	Cut Capsule
CSL	Canadian Strip Label
FB	Foreign Bottling
GS	Glue Strip (visible strip of old adhesive, because labels used to be affixed only selectively or in strips, not over the entire surface.)
HF	High Fill (or mid neck: normal fill level)
HS	High Shoulder (natural loss in wines over twenty years old, perfect in those over forty years old)
IN	Into Neck oder Base Neck (good fill level, exceptional for wines aged ten years or older)
LG	Lange Goldkapsel
LMS	Low-Mid Shoulder (increased risk)
LS	Low Shoulder (high risk)
MS	Mid Shoulder
NC	No Capsule
NL	No Label
NNL	No Neck Label
OC	Oxidised Capsule
REC	Recondiotionné (recorked at the château + indication of the year)
REL	Release (year of release from château/winery)
SBL	Slightly Bad Label
SOL	Signs of Leaking
TS	Top Shoulder (standard for twenty-year-old wines)
VTS	Very Top Shoulder (normal for wines aged fifteen years and older)

CHF 195.00

Prices excl. 8,1% VAT plus shipping costs

Availability: 84 bts. available | content: 75 cl

Wine available as single bottles can be found here

Ratings & tasting notes

Antonio Galloni

Vinous

The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Les Pavots soars from the glass with a whole range of savory, floral top notes. Medium in body yet very deep, the 2023 is a superb example of both the year and Knights Valley. Vibrant red-toned fruit, blood orange, graphite, cinnamon, chalk, mint and dried herbs are some of the many notes that come alive in the glass. All of the energy of this cold, late-ripening year comes through loud and clear. Several recent bottles from the late 1990s and early 2000s point to the longevity of the best vintages, as I expect will be the case with the 2023. 06/2026

Erin Brooks

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate

The 2023 Les Pavots is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, from grapes harvested very late, from October 27 to November 11. It has singular aromas of red and black currants, blueberry, salty licorice, violet, roast lamb, cigar ash and thyme, and its oak spice is seamlessly integrated. The full-bodied palate is powerfully styled with iron-laced flavors and abundant, velvety tannins. It’s balanced by bright acidity and has a very long, elegant finish. It will be long lived in the cellar. 2,940 cases were made and will be released in April 2026. 02/2026

Jeb Dunnuck

Jeb Dunnuck

The 2023 Les Pavots comes from an incredibly long growing season for this cuvée and is a blend of fairly typical varieties for the estate. It pours a coating youthful saturated red/purple color, and the nose reveals notes of cassis, lavender, mint, cocoa nib, licorice, and cedar. Full-bodied, it has a refined, supple texture with a delicate, creamy feel that remains youthful at this stage, with even, velvety tannins and refreshing acidity without overpowering weight. Notes of rosemary, pine, and dark stones start to shine as it opens, along with resinous herbs. Full-bodied, it has a lot of length and starts to show real flash without alcohol heat. I would recommend this over the coming 15-20 years. Drink 2027-2047. 06/2026

Colin Hay

The Drinks Business

Incense, myrrh, assorted floral and herbal essences from the parfumier’s laboratory. Pink rose petals and desiccated peonies. A little whetstone and flint. Wild thyme. Cedar, but just a hint, and graphite, rather more. Leather. The additional Cabernet Franc here is beautifully expressive and gives this a lift it might not otherwise have. Perfectly ripe tannins, beautifully spherical in form, like glass beads that pixilate the midpalate. Grippy and beautifully formed. One notices just a little the alcohol on the finish, but this is a staggeringly elegant bottle of wine. A coup de coeur for me. 98+. 08/2026

Jane Anson

Inside Bordeaux

Deep liquorice root, juicy and full of rich powerful fennel, cherry pit and peach pit and cherry tart, black tea, incense, sleek and uplifted, exceptionally good. 100% French oak. Robert Fiore winemaker, Paul Michael now the 2nd generation owner at this lovely mountain estate. 07/2026

Description

Les Pavots comes from Peter Michael Winery’s estate vineyards on the slopes of Mount Saint Helena in Knights Valley, Sonoma County. The 46-acre vineyard rises to nearly 1,400 feet and is defined by rocky, rhyolitic soils formed by ancient volcanic activity. These distinctive hillside sites bring mineral richness and complexity to the wine. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot are planted on the lower slopes, while Merlot and Cabernet Franc thrive on the cooler upper elevations.The 2023 vintage began with a cool, wet winter and abundant rainfall from December through March, delaying budbreak by around a month. Flowering was similarly delayed, but moderate conditions allowed for excellent fruit set and improved yields following the exceptionally small 2022 crop. The growing season remained moderate, with no major heat spikes, allowing the grapes to retain vibrant acidity while developing excellent phenolic maturity. Despite rain events in September and October, fruit integrity remained pristine through harvest. Picking took place from October 27 to November 11, making 2023 the latest harvest in Peter Michael Winery’s history.Dark ruby-red and opaque in the glass, the 2023 Les Pavots opens with an expressive bouquet of blackcurrant, dark cherry and black raspberry, layered with purple flowers and black olive. Notes of black tea, anise and baking spices add further complexity. The palate is supple on entry, developing into a broad and concentrated mid-palate with remarkable depth. Abundant yet exceptionally refined tannins give the wine both structure and elegance, while vibrant acidity keeps it fresh and energetic. The finish is smooth, long and persistent. A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, the wine was aged for 18 months in 100% French oak. One of the finest expressions of Les Pavots in the past two decades, it is already approachable but has the structure to age gracefully for twenty years or more.

Country:	USA
Region:	Kalifornien
Producer/appellation:	Peter Michael Winery
Wine type:	Red wines
Year:	2023
Content:	75 cl
Organic/bio dynamic:	No
Quality information:	REL 2026