Country: U.S.A.

Region: Sonoma County

Vintage: 2016

Cépage: Cabernet Sauvignon (62%); Cabernet Franc (18%); Merlot (13%); Petit Verdot (7%)

Size: 750 ml

Rating(s): 95+ (RP); 98+ (JD); 99 (JS)

"A solid step up, the 2016 Les Pavots comes from vines planted in 1989 and is a mix of two separate sites in Knights Valley. This straight-up phenomenal Cabernet offers a powerful nose of ripe black fruits, tobacco leaf, chocolate, and spring flowers, and it has a Margaux-like complexity and elegance. Full-bodied on the palate, it has a multi-dimensional, seamless texture, building tannins, and a great, great finish. It’s a baby of a wine that needs 4-5 years of bottle age, but it will probably merit a triple-digit score in 7-8 years and keep for three decades."

Jed Dunnuck (JD) - 06/19