Peter Michael Winery’s 2023 Les Pavots is the estate’s flagship proprietary red from Knights Valley, sourced from hillside blocks on Mount Saint Helena. It’s a Bordeaux-style blend built around Cabernet Sauvignon, and in 2023 the final composition is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot. At 15.5% alcohol, it’s unapologetically full-bodied, but the vintage conditions and the house style aim for polish rather than brute force.

The winery describes 2023 as “one of the finest expressions of Les Pavots in the last two decades,” pointing to a dark-ruby profile with “black currant, purple flowers, black olive, dark cherries, and black raspberry,” alongside accents of “black tea, anise, and baking spices.” The growing season helps explain that freshness in the aromatics: after a cool, wet winter that delayed budbreak by about a month, the year stayed moderate with no major heat spikes. Harvest ran October 27 to November 11—reported by the estate as the latest harvest in its history—yet the winery says fruit “integrity remained pristine” even with late-season rain.

In the cellar, Les Pavots was aged 18 months in 100% French oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered (May 14–16, 2025). Release is listed as April 1, 2026.

The lone verified professional review for the 2023 is an excellent one. Jeb Dunnuck scored it 97 points, highlighting “cassis, lavender, mint, cocoa nib, licorice, and cedar,” and praising a “refined, supple texture,” with “even, velvety tannins and refreshing acidity.” In practical terms, that suggests a wine that delivers classic Napa-adjacent Cabernet depth, but with enough lift and structure to drink well young and still justify cellaring. The estate itself says it “can be enjoyed early but will age for twenty years.”