Beschreibung:

This eponymous winery was founded in 1982 by Sir Peter Michael on the premise that, "After drinking many of the greatest wines in the world and after long consideration, it is quite clear that great wine is the result of choosing the correct grapes, planting them in the right spot and then preparing the wine carefully to preserve the tastes and aromas that the vineyard has provided." An exquisite architectural rendering, the domaine is ideally situated at the base of his 600 acre estate (137 of the acreage is under vine). His goal was to honor French tradition while utilizing some of the advantages offered by modern technology and a highly trained winemaking team. Helen Turley was there in the early days while the great Mark Aubert, who was responsible for the many of the breakout wines of the late '90s, has stayed on as a consultant to current winemaker Luc Morlet, who holds both a masters in enology and an MBA in wine business from prestigious universities in France. It all starts in the vineyard through careful handpicking of grapes, meticulous sorting of the ripest whole clusters, and destemming of each and every grape before the gentlest application of a gravity press. The wines undergo 100 barrel fermentation and full malolactic with weekly bbtonnage or stirring while the wine ages on its lees, allowing it to become suppler while gaining additional flavor nuances. A custom misting system ensures optimal humidity while the barrels age, reducing evaporation. Despite their ripeness, balance is achieved through hands on winemaking and no acidification is done to avoid harsh edges. Minimal, non-intrusive racking is done prior to the wines being bottled unfiltered. For all of Peter Michael's wines, production is small with most of the cuvees having around 2,000 cases, with the Cuvee Indigene at 500 and the Point Rouge barely being 125 at the low end. Les Pavots, French for the nearby roadside poppies, is a Bordeaux blend of approximately 70 Cabernet Sauvignon, 15 Merlot, 10 Cabernet Franc and 5 Petit Verdot(which was added in later vintages for increased complexity). The vineyard cuttings come auspiciously from Madrona Ranch and Bella Oaks, the daughter vineyard of the more famous Martha's which was spawned from Chateau Margaux cuttings. Les Pavots is surprisingly Bordeaux-like with a depth and ripeness that can only be found in California Cabernet. JC Peter Michael Winery, Les Pavots Knights Valley --Vintage 1992 (2) --Vintage 1993 (1) --Vintage 1994 (2) --Vintage 1994 Signed bottle magnum (1) Above 1 magnum and 5 bottles per lot