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Intense and fleshy, with cassis, black cherry, ripe plum and blackberry, hints of violet, black olive, black tea and baking spice, a soft, supple entry, round generous tannins, a plush mouthfeel and an elegant, perfumed finish.
Available in store
Close59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot
Food pairings: Grilled lamb chops, beef tenderloin, duck breast, braised short ribs and aged hard cheeses.
Scores:
Winemaking: 'L'Esprit des Pavots', French for "the spirit of the poppies," is a Bordeaux-style estate blend. The 2022 was hand harvested from September 7 to October 14, aged 18 months in French oak barrels from select artisan coopers, and bottled unfined and unfiltered in May 2024. It is typically more fruit-forward and earlier drinking than the estate's 'Les Pavots' and 'Au Paradis', yet remains balanced, elegant and age-worthy.
Vineyards and terroir: The 2022 combines 47% of fruit from the Les Pavots vineyard in Knights Valley, Sonoma County, with 53% from the Au Paradis vineyard in Oakville, Napa Valley. Les Pavots sits on rocky, well-drained volcanic rhyolite with a south-facing exposure at 900 to 1,400 feet; Au Paradis grows on rocky red volcanic loam at 500 to 600 feet. In 2022 a third year of drought brought an early budbreak and small clusters, and a long heat wave in early September was followed by cooler weather and a mid-October finish in Knights Valley.
Family and history: Sir Peter Michael founded Peter Michael Winery in 1983 to make wines in the terroir-driven tradition of Burgundy and Bordeaux from California hillsides. 'L'Esprit des Pavots' was first made in 2001, solely from Les Pavots, and was long called the "little brother" of the flagship; since 2016 select lots from the Oakville estate have joined the blend.
In the pictures: Hillside vines on the Peter Michael estate; California poppies at the vineyard's edge; and a misty morning view over the estate (all courtesy of Peter Michael Winery).
