2011 Peter Michael Les Pavots Meritage

Les Pavots is Peter Michael’s flagship blend of red Bordeaux varietals from our Knights Valley Estate. While the blend varies from vintage to vintage, typically it is two thirds Cabernet Sauvignon with roughly equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot and a touch of Petit Verdot. Les Pavots captures an elegant refined expression of the terroir embracing the full spectrum of Cabernet family varietal expression with its trademark touch of herbs de provence. The name translates to ‘The Poppies’ and is named after the California poppies that grow wild on our estate and are the inspiration for the winery’s logo.

Black with a ruby red hue and crimson reflection on the rim, the 2011 Les Pavots reveals an intense bouquet of strawberry, black truffle oil, vanilla bean, blueberry and blackberry, with nuances of black currant liquor, cedar, cacao, cigar box, black tea, graphite, a stylish ‘garrigue’ touch, forest floor and cloves. Extremely full-bodied, this wine offers a potpourri feeling with the same rich, ripe fruit impressions on the pal- ate with black truffle, tobacco, grey and white pepper notes. The mouth feel is dense and round, with a mineral background and ample elegant tannins, which leads to a long finish. The 2011 Les Pavots will benefit from another year of cellaring and will age gracefully for two decades. 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot.