($175; 63% cabernet sauvignon, 23% cabernet franc, 12% merlot and 2% petit verdot) Good deep ruby-red. Deep aromas of currant, raspberry, plum, tobacco, mocha and graphite. Sweet, lush and fat (the pH here is 4.02), with the rich, spicy red fruit flavors complicated by leather, mocha, licorice and cedar. The substantial tannins are smooth and harmonious and arrive late, allowing the subtle finishing flavors of cigar box, mocha and wild dry spices to expand in the mouth. This is 15.1% alcohol but boasts lovely physiological ripeness without any excess weight.

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The 2005 Les Pavots (3,600 cases of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot) is a sensational wine, with a style that suggests a hypothetical blend of a great St.-Emilion and Pomerol. Chocolatey cassis notes intermixed with incense, licorice, and a hint of black olive are present in this wine. When it hits the palate, it comes across as very Pomerol-like, with lushness, full body, and opulence. The tannins are sweet, the pH high, and the wine gorgeously full, pure, dense, and long. It's a terrific example of non-interventionalist winemaking that has turned out a beautiful, silky-textured wine that should age effortlessly for 15+ years. Like so many 2005s, this wine has really put on weight since I tasted it last year.

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Shows gorgeous Cabernet purity, with a profound offering of ripe, fleshy currant, black cherry, blackberry, anise and mineral. Amazingly supple and harmonious, with tannins that are both gentle and tender and then just firm enough to let you know they're there. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. 3,600 cases made.

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