Peter Michael - Les Pavots - Sonoma County 2020
In 1982, Sir Peter Michael and Lady Michael purchased 630 acres of volcanic ridges on the western face of Mount St. Helena in Knights Valley. Following Sir Peter’s '100 by 100' vision, 100% family ownership for at least 100 years and drawing inspiration from the great wineries of Burgundy and Bordeaux, the family hired like-minded viticulturists and winemakers to help them create terroir-driven wines that would stand the test of time. Today, with the support of his son, Paul and his wife, the Peter Michael winery still adheres to its original founding principles of mountain vineyards, classical winemaking, and limited production.
Grown on the slopes of Mount Saint Helena in Knights Valley, the distinctive aromas and flavors of their blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot display their hillside origins. Rocky, rhyolitic soils created through volcanic activity millennia ago contribute a mineral richness and add to the wine’s complexity. Spanning 46 acres, the red Les Pavots blocks ascend to an elevation of nearly 1,400 feet. Merlot and Cabernet Franc grow on the cool upper slopes, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot below.
The 2020 vintage
The video of the vintage: https://youtu.be/1Sd9a1Pvf5Y
Weather conditions
2020 saw the first February with no rainfall in recorded history. The rains eventually arrived, with some particularly late storms into May and even the very beginning of June, which resulted in a good water profile in the soil at the beginning of the growing season. The weather during bloom was temperate and resulted in good fruit set and fairly normal yields. During most of the growing season, 2020 was fairly cool, punctuated by a series of heat spikes in late August and early September, then fairly warm temperatures through harvest.
Tasting notes
The complex bouquet of blackberry, boysenberry, black cherry, crème de cassis, and dark chocolate with floral notes of dried rose petals and violets exude from the glass of the captivating, shimmering deep red-robed 2020 ‘Les Pavots.’ A plush, graceful entry builds to a broad mid-palate supported by very fine tannins. Black tea, dark chocolate, graphite, caramel, and savory notes culminate in a late mid-palate burst before resolving in a long, smooth finish. This is a classy, refined ‘Les Pavots.’