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The 1997 Les Pavots originates from a hillside vineyard overlooking the Knight's Valley that has 23 acres planted with Bordeaux varietals. The 1997 blend consists of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc.Robert Parker | 96 RPVery deep, saturated ruby. Extremely complex nose melds brambly blueberry and blackberry, cassis, molasses, tar, cocoa and lavender. Very thick and sweet but quite primary; powerfully structured and muscular but not hard thanks to its huge buffering extract and reasonably elevated pH. Substantial tannins spread out to suffuse the entire palate. This very impressive wine has the balance and sheer material to enjoy a long and slow development in bottle. The most impressive cabernet I've yet tasted from Peter Michael.Vinous Media | 92 VMDark, ripe, rich and focused, this California red offers tiers of currant, mineral, anise, sage and cedar, all folding neatly together and finishing with a chocolaty edge. Drink now through 2009. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 4,351 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Gorgeous, offering layers of rich, plush, dark berry, plum, blackberry, kirsch and fig paste, woven together with green olive and melted licorice. Full-blown, yet for all its depth and density it glides along on a smooth, tapered finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.—2001 California Cabernet blind retrospective (June 2011). Drink now through 2020. 1,853 cases made. — JLWine Spectator | 99 WSA spectacular Knight’s Valley proprietary red wine from Peter Michael, the 2001 Les Pavots performed brilliantly in the horizontal tasting I did in Napa Valley in late May. Its dense opaque blue/purple color is accompanied by notes of graphite, charcoal, burning embers, creme de cassis, licorice and chocolate fudge. Opulent and full-bodied with sweet tannin as well as low acidity, it is just beginning to strut its stuff and reveal secondary nuances. Approachable now, this full-bodied, multi-dimensional wine should continue to drink well for another two decades plus.Robert Parker | 97 RP(a blend of 72% cabernet sauvignon, 16% merlot, 10% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot; this had just been racked, for only the second time) Saturated medium ruby. Sappy aromas of black raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, violet, tar and minerals. Superconcentrated, layered, deep flavors of blackberry, raspberry, cassis and licorice; offers an uncanny chewiness of texture. As powerful as this is, it’s also suave and seamless, with a total absence of rough edges. There are hints of espresso and forest floor, but this very broad, primary wine will need time to develop more nuance. Finishes with a major tannic spine and superb subtle persistence. This wine spent 54 days on its skins.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

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!Robert Parker | 99 RP(62% cabernet sauvignon, 17% cabernet franc, 16% merlot and 5% petit verdot) Cooler on the nose than the 2002 despite showing a near-roasted ripeness, with aromas of black raspberry, licorice, minerals and flowers. Thick, dense and superripe, with compelling sweetness and layers of dark fruit flavor. Wonderfully full and deep wine with extraordinary palate coverage. The finish offers explosive persistence and the thoroughly ripe, sweet tannins reach the front teeth. This has really del ivered on its early promise.Vinous Media | 94+ VMThis is a much better wine than in its youth, with more to like now than earlier on. Very ripe, with currant, black cherry, blueberry pie and spice flavors that are supple and refined. The finish is a bit clipped.—Non-blind Les Pavots vertical (March 2011). Drink now through 2017. 2,713 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard spent 12 months in 100% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with bold scents of fresh blackberries, black currants and mulberries plus suggestions of cedar chest, pencil lead, iron ore and truffles, with emerging wafts of crushed rocks and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers firm, grainy, exquisitely ripe tannins and seamless freshness supporting layer upon layer of black fruits, finishing on a long-lingering fragrant earth note. 800 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard hails from a single vineyard in Knights Valley located at 950 feet in elevation. It has a brilliant nose of savory red and black currants, dried herbs, saddle leather, and tobacco, with a decidedly Bordeaux-like vibe in both its aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied and nicely concentrated, with ripe tannins on the palate, this is a serious, captivating, incredibly impressive Cabernet that will shine for at least two decades. You could put this beauty in a lineup of First Growth Bordeaux and it would do just fine.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDLots of pine and walnut with gravel and dark fruit on the nose. It’s very fine-tannined with nice austerity and a dusty texture. Long and juicy. Needs to soften. Better in a year or two. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana is a very pretty wine with lovely red/purplish berry fruit character, sweet, perfumed aromatics and soft contours. The purity of the fruit is just remarkable. I imagine the 2018 will drink well pretty much upon release. It is so showy today.Antonio Galloni | 90-92 AG