Wine Article

Winemaker's Notes: The 2008 Les Pavots reveals a deep, layered bouquet of black cherry, licorice, black currant, blueberry pie, and blackberry combined with chocolate, vanilla, coffee, black tea, subtle spicy notes of cloves and cinnamon and its distinctive ‘garrigue’ touch. The complexity and intense character continue into the finish with a massive mouthfeel, lasting impressions on the palate and round, silky tannins. 2008 Les Pavots will benefit from three years of cellaring for near term enjoyment and will age gracefully for two decades or more. Wine Information: Harvested: September 17, 2008 to October 21, 2008. Blend: 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot & 3% Petit Verdot. Aged 16 months in 100% French oak barrels from artisan coopers. Alcohol: 14.5%. Bottled unfined and unfiltered May 18, 2009. Release: April 1, 2011. Winegrowing Notes: Grown on the slopes of Mt. St. Helena in Knights Valley, the distinctive aromas and flavors of our proprietary blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot clearly 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 49 acres, Les Pavots ascends to an elevation of nearly 1,400 feet. Merlot and Cabernet Franc grow on the cool upper slopes and Cabernet Sauvignon grows just below.