2016 Les Pavots
Buying options
Tasting notes
A solid step up, the 2016 Les Pavots comes from vines planted in 1989 and is a mix of two separate sites in Knights Valley. This straight-up phenomenal Cabernet offers a powerful nose of ripe black fruits, tobacco leaf, chocolate, and spring flowers, and it has a Margaux-like complexity and elegance. Full-bodied on the palate, it has a multi-dimensional, seamless texture, building tannins, and a great, great finish. It’s a baby of a wine that needs 4-5 years of bottle age, but it will probably merit a triple-digit score in 7-8 years and keep for three decades.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Les Pavots is a dense, powerful wine endowed with tons of raciness and class. Today, the 2016 is a bit shy, though. The aromatics are not as expressive as they can be. On the palate, the Pavots is much more giving. I sense a bit less heft than in the in recent past, which is not a bad thing at all. Time in the glass brings out attractive scents of grilled herbs, rose petal and mint to round things out.
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Les Pavots is a dense, powerful wine endowed with tons of raciness and class. Today, the 2016 is a bit shy, though. The aromatics are not as expressive as they can be. On the palate, the Pavots is much more giving. I sense a bit less heft than in the in recent past, which is not a bad thing at all. Time in the glass brings out attractive scents of grilled herbs, rose petal and mint to round things out. (AG) 95+
Blackberries, blueberries, raspberry kir, sweet tobacco and black truffle. Full bodied with chewy tannins and superb texture and length. Extremely poised and powerful. Finishes with so much fresh leather and blueberries. Goes on for minutes. Try after 2023.
About the producer
Founded in 1983 by Sir Peter Michael CBE and his wife Margaret, Peter Michael Winery produces some of California’s finest wines.