Wine Advisor
Peter Michael, L'Esprit des Pavots 2018
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2018 L'Esprit des Pavots comes from 51% Knights Valley AVA and 49% Oakville AVA. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it wafts out of the glass with compelling floral notes of dried roses and lavender over a core of Morello cherries, juicy plums, fresh blackberries and black raspberries. Full-bodied, the palate is completely coated and black and red fruit preserves flavors, supported by fine-grained tannins and a lively backbone, finishing long and fragrant. 1,707 cases were made.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2018 L'Esprit des Pavots is a blend from both the Les Pavots and Au Paradis properties. It is also a terrific introduction to the Bordeaux reds at Peter Michael. A high percentage of Franc gives the wine striking aromatic presence and tons of nuance. This classy, racy red is a winner
About the Producer
The vineyards of Pete Mack winery spread out down the top of the slope deep in the valley, with a slope of about 40 degrees. The soil is volcanic ash, the soil surface is covered with volcanic stones, and the water permeability is very good. Grape varieties grown are: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Taste and more (Petit Verdot) and so on. The grapes here have high planting density, long growing period, good maturity, low yield and strong fruit flavor, which are very suitable for making top wines. All the wine grapes at Pete Mack are harvested by hand and the grapes are meticulously classified. In the late 1980s, the winery pioneered the use of natural yeasts to ferment with grapes, resulting in wines that exhibit more complex fruit aromas with amazing texture, roundness and depth. All of the winery's top wines, including Chardonnay, are not filtered prior to bottling because filtration is detrimental to the ageing process of Chardonnay. The most famous red wine of Pete Mack is Les Pavots Proprietary Red. The blending operation of this red wine varies from year to year, but the blending ingredients generally include at least 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% to 15% Cabernet Franc, and will use 60% new French oak barrels. The wines are even wider and deeper than most Bordeaux wines. The best recent vintages for the winery's Chardonnay white wines are: 2003, 2002, 2001, 1997, 1996 and 1983; the best recent vintages for Poppy Gardens red wines are: 2002, 2001, 1997 , 1994, 1992 and 1991.
