A great, great success (and of course, this is Knight’s Valley material), the 2002 Les Pavots, which I loved from barrel as well as bottle, still has a good 20+ years of life ahead of it. At this point, it is tasting like a vigorous young adolescent in its evolutionary development. The blend in 2002 from the winery was 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot. Moreover there are just under 3,000 cases of this spectacular wine, which I’m hoping many readers have cellared away. Inky black/purple, with a nose of incense, licorice, balsamic and Asian soy notes interwoven with blackberry, blueberry and hints of truffle and camphor, this wine is full-bodied, opulent and voluptuously textured, with sensational mid-palate, depth and richness. This is a killer Bordeaux-styled, ripe, exuberant, flamboyant red from Peter Michael that stands as one of the all-time great Les Pavots cuvees ever made. It ideally needs another 3-4 years of cellaring, although it is quite accessible and should keep for a minimum of 20 or more years. Bravo! Tel. (707) 942-3200

A monumental effort is the 2002 Les Pavots, a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot. And there is even more good news – there are 2,800 cases of this exceptional wine. Dense purple-colored with an extraordinary nose of melted licorice, white chocolate, creme de cassis, licorice, and incense, the wine hits the palate with a silky opulence, and marvelous, full-bodied power, but it is light on its feet, with great delineation, vibrancy, and freshness. Superb purity and a finish that goes on for 50+ seconds is the stuff of modern-day California legends. This beauty is already beginning to age well yet should last easily for 18-22 years. P.S. For those who have them in the bottle, the final ratings for the 2002 Chardonnays are as follows: Belle Cote (96), La Carriere (97), Cuvee Indigene (95), Ma Belle Fille (96), Mon Plaisir (94), and Point Rouge (98).(Release date 4/05)Tel. (707) 942-4459; Fax (707) 942-0209