Peter Michael, Les Pavots, Knights Valley

Peak drinking window. Great structure and length

2005 vintage

Excellent condition bottle. Excellent cork with some crystals. Decanted for 2 hrs before dinner. Really great after 3 hrs. Light sediment. Nose: a little pungent at opening, but turned to floral and fruity. very good but subdued. 8/10. Palate: 10/10. Medium to full body. Polished and very elegant. Floral, dried fruits, chocolate. Captivating sweetness. Diminishing tannins. Finish: 9/10. Price: 9/10 ($174, 2025) Enjoyment: 10/10. Would buy again: Maybe not. Beautiful to drink now. @ Fleurette

2008 vintage

This was fantastic. Still some fruit left. Very elegant. Not an over the top Napa cab. Wish I had another bottle.

1996 vintage

Still developing. Rich and full finish already. Great wine.

2013 vintage

Even more disappointing than the last bottle. I would have scored it lower on opening where it was neither fish nor fowl - little fruit taste but also limited tertiary characteristics. The last glasses 2 days after opening were quite a bit better with some chocolatey characteristics and a bit of black fruit coming through, but overall still a rather generic “expensive Cali red” taste.

2004 vintage

Still in terrific shape. Color is still deep. Terrific nose. Really enjoyed. These LP’s age so nicely. Was part of a Christmas dinner “tasting” that included the ‘01 Monte Bello, ‘02 Les Pavots, and the ‘97 Montelena. I’d probably have ranked them in about that order but all were fantastic, and drinking well.

2002 vintage

Still in terrific shape. Color is still deep. Terrific nose. Really enjoyed. These LP’s age so nicely. Was part of a Christmas dinner “tasting” that included the ‘01 Monte Bello, ‘02 Les Pavots, and the ‘97 Montelena. I’d probably have ranked them in about that order but all were fantastic, and drinking well.

2002 vintage

PNP so perhaps unfair. Didn’t love as much as we usually do- still more primary than not, tannins ok but didn’t love the fruit basket. A bit tart, no reward for that. We did first half of bottle with coravin; will let back end breath and be more fair. On the whole for context, I have bought Les Pavots I think since 1994 and will keep buying even when I think I am buying for my kids and grandkids. Over …

2013 vintage

Much, much better than last time I drank this about 5 years ago. Very Bordeaux like with black fruit and a bit of green pepper. Acidity a bit high. Very nice wine. Went well with dinner at a BWE event at Nina May restaurant.

1997 vintage

Popped and poured. Medium to full bodied and showing nice balance despite the ripeness of the fruit in this vintage. Black fruit, tobacco and olives.z. Showing lots of promise but still quite young.

2007 vintage

PnP. Pretty well integrated. Acid level is getting low. Good time to start popping bottles.

2013 vintage

Decanted 2 hours. This wine continues to drink well with notes similar to my last dating about a year ago. Ripe dark fruit with notes of crushed pepper. Tannins are prominent but well integrated. Long satisfying finish. Paired with baby back ribs.

2009 vintage

Still dark with just a little browning at the rim Alcohol, black cherry, black raspberry and milk chocolate nose Rich round chocolate covered cherries on the palate still with some tannin remaining Improved over the evening This is an unusually hedonistic version of Les Pavots that is delicious right now and probably has a good 5 years of peak drinking left 93-94

2005 vintage

Waited 6 years since my last one, and this one just blew me away. Color was dark crimson with some lightness on the edge. Big beautiful legs on the glass, huge bouquet of dark fruit, spice and some pencil shavings. The wine has tremendous upfront fruit that is rich and mouth coating, nice acidity and tannins that are fully resolved. Delicious super long finish. One of the better PM Les Pavots I've drunk in a long time.

2002 vintage

Awesome PnP.

2005 vintage

Double decanted for 2 and 1/2hours. Pale ruby with just a hint of age. Beautiful nose of red and black fruit. Tannins silky and well integrated, with plenty of fruit still carrying through. Very long finish; elegant, powerful, and still full of life.

2013 vintage

Alas, the last.

2007 vintage

Nice wine but underperformed expectations. I followed the advice of prior reviewers and opened without decanting. But while this bottle retained a lot of power and flavor, most of the fruits had been overwhelmed by the tertiary flavors. Rather subdued on the nose even after air. Large body with medium acid and fully integrated tannins. Nice full mouthfeel. Flavors dominated by chocolate and French oak, hints of herbs and menthol, the remnant of the original black fruit. Very nice flavor …

2004 vintage

Double decanted for 3.5 hours. Nose: I smelled blackberry, cedar, Napa mold/slight musk, coffee, and dark chocolate. Taste: I got black fruit, blackberry/cassis, leather, and dried prunes. Overall: The wine seemed integrated at this point and definitely has some years left in it. The high alcohol (15%) doesn't kill you right away and tastes fresh. You can drink it now but also can hold onto to for more years.

2013 vintage

Decanted for about an hour, this Peter michael Cabernet is useful and lively – showing good acidity and lots of dark cherry and blackberry, and dark red fruit. Absolutely no sign of age – no breaking – not Ian a hint of earthy or woodsy notes… This one could easily go for another 10 years. But pulling the cork on the first day of summer in 2025 celebrating its 20th birthday, so to speak, certainly was a good reason to …

2005 vintage

vivino

2013 vintage

On my birthday at Prime Fort Lee. So lovely. Nose with ple th beautiful aged notes, palate quite young tasting but with complexity that can't be mistaking this for anything younger than a good 10 year old Cali cab. Got another bottle that I will be drinking in another 2-3 years.

2008 vintage

Absolutely gorgeous. Not enough time for a full explanation - but incredible. Rich blue fruit, dense, smooth. The whole package.

2007 vintage

Nice blend but a bit over priced.

2007 vintage

Luc Morlet가 독립 전 손을 댄 마지막 빈티지라는 점에서 이미 관심이 간다. 블라인드로 마셨을 땐 올드 빈티지 보르도라고 말하며 완전히 빗나갔지만, 미국 와인임에도 보르도 블렌드 특유의 면모를 제대로 보여줬다는 점에서 다시 생각해 보면 꽤 잘 만든 와인이었다는 결론이다. 처음 코를 대면 잘 익은 검은 과일과 오크의 존재감이 한눈에 들어온다. 오크칩처럼 거친 느낌이 아니라 고급스럽게 녹아든 인상이라 기분을 상하게 하지 않는다. 시간의 흐름에 따라 담배 잎 같은 뉘앙스가 더 뚜렷해지고, 가죽 향이 상대적으로 약해 “조금 더 젊은가?” 하는 착각을 부를 수도 …

2005 vintage

From mag. This was rather black fruited with rather coarse if prominent tannins, but held it's scale together well.

2009 vintage

Peter Michael, along with Togni and a short list of others, makes a wine that represents the old world heritage and best grapes Napa has to offer, and while not inexpensive, not off the charts ridiculous in pricing. Having got to the point where my age says maybe not to buy cases of very long lived wines any more, I have dropped off taking my full allocation, but always take some Les Pavots as it has virtually never failed to …

2008 vintage

Excellent to drink now, rich and ripe but with amazing balance and grace. Dark berries,mineral,cedar, tobacco and chocolate with a superb long finish.

2008 vintage

1996 Peter Michael Winery Les Pavots is well worth the 96 points. A Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the color was deep dark purple. The next to last of the 1996's in my cellar, I plan to enjoy it again in about a year as it has achieved its’ zenith. The nose of mature dark fruit, blackberries, cassis, almost Bordeaux like lead pencil and perhaps a hint of dark chocolate in the finish and very subtle …

1996 vintage

Mörkt röd och uppträder yngre än sin ålder. Massor och mörk frukt och blåbär. Tyvärr matchas den vid en middag av en Valandraud 08 och där kommer den till korta - det som händer är att alkoholen och frukten sticker ut. Men totalt sett ett bra vin och en solid cab-blandning. Men vid just vid det här tillfället kanske inte den bästa QPR, utan att jag är alltför besviken.

2009 vintage

This is gonna sound snarkier than I intend but - Really tasty wine that doesn't make any excuses for being made from actual fruit. It will please a wide spectrum of drinkers.

2009 vintage

Decanted for 3 hours. Yeah, pretty good my wife likes big cabs so she didn’t love this. But I found it well balanced and with some good non-fruit tastes coming through. Graphite, dirt, maybe some sour cherries. I liked it.

2013 vintage

Deep ruby black, opaque Bright dark fruited flavors; this particular bottle is nowhere near resolved and on opening needs lots of air. 92+

2007 vintage

I gave this one 30 minutes of air prior to tasting. Medium ruby color, with no bricking at the edges; A medium nose of spice ((nutmeg?). This wine is impressively alive! Luscious red and black fruit grabs your attention upfront, and there’s a long lingering finish full of subtle notes of leather, and cigar box. Well-structured, with grippy tannins that indicate it’s got at least another of decade of life ahead of it. I I continue to be impressed with …

2002 vintage

Decanted 2 hrs. An excellent wine with notes of dark fruit, forest floor, pepper, with great balance and acidity. Tannins are well integrated with long satisfying finish. Paired with grilled lamb chops.

2009 vintage

Maybe past it's prime. Not much nose or finish

2013 vintage

Large format Deep garnet almost purple Intense nose: red fruits, pepper, tobacco, vanilla M acidity, tannins fully resolved Just a wonderful wine

1997 vintage

decanted about an hour after opening, and started drinking 30 minutes after decanting. Initially the wine wasn't very open and needed to wake up in glass. It was sweeter on the palate for sure, showing its character as a Californian, but not to the point of being ripe or jammy despite being from a stellar vintage.

2007 vintage

Big, beautiful wine. Dark, with a small meniscus around the rim. Nose is complex, with rich sumptuous fruit dominating but also a hint of menthol and a touch of heat. Sweet fruit dominates the palate at first, but then the backbone kicks in - cigar box and woody tannins on the long finish.

2002 vintage

Big wine that is now entering into a decent stage. Acidity OK but still on the mocha spectrum

2009 vintage

In a great spot. Had at Wally’s Beverly Hills, great meal, excellent service. Nice fruit with tertiary flavors coming through and a nice acidity to strengthen the structure. Really enjoyed a lot

2005 vintage

Last of six bottles. I should have been more disciplined. Based on the improvement over 6 hours after opening, it would be interesting to see where this goes in a few years.

2013 vintage

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days. Best on Day 2. The 2013 “Les Pavots” pours a deep ruby with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and signs of light sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with wild brambles, Korean bulgogi, some purple flowers, tobacco, cedar box, some VA, and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from …

2013 vintage

Resolved and balanced; smooth lean berry fruit; long elegant finish.

2002 vintage

Slow ox two hours. This is coming into its own. Black currant, coffee, tobacco and herbs come through. Full bodied, but nicely focused, with early signs of complexity. A little bit oaky but that may integrate over time. Still long way to go.

2008 vintage

Dinner at Gene and Georgetti in Chicago with Todd. My last tasting note was 2016. Decanted and rebottled prior to coming to the restaurant Bright, dark ruby. Some separation. Nose of red fruits, herbs. Palate of dark fruits, currant, cherry, chocolate, oak, graphite. Tannins nicely integrated. Plums and red fruit through the mid palate. Medium/full body, long finish. Aged nicely, nice texture, fruits still expressive. At or near its peak (IMO). Will go for a while if well cellared but …

2007 vintage

Damn great!

2002 vintage

Friday Group Brown Bag Tasting (R&R's) : Double blind. Crimson red color with a slight bit of bricking. Notes of plum, leather, caramel, herbs and red berries with just a hint of bouillon underneath. Full-bodied, with soft tannins and flavors of dark plummy fruit dominating the palate. Finishes well. Easy to pick out as a Napa cab blend. (R&R)

2007 vintage

Brought to Ruth’s Chris steakhouse for my sister-in-law’s birthday celebration. In a beautiful place- richness, depth, and character without any hard edges. Alcohol, tannins, and fruit are magnificently integrated.

2007 vintage

Agree with my earlier and others comments. Best I can say is this is what a bottle of Cabernet should be!!!

2008 vintage

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Peter Michael, Les Pavots, Knights Valley

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