Beschreibung:

PETER MICHAEL 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 batonnage 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. Peter Michael help pioneer the use of indigenous yeasts in California with the Cuvée Indigine and now applies that technique to most of the whites. Cuvée Indigine is a full, intense wine with smoky nuances indicative of its pedigree coming from the exclusive Upper Barn block from the Gauer Ranch while the Point Rouge being the best marked four or five barrels. Mon Plaisir is the flagship, flamboyant Chardonnay with over the top lemon, vanilla and toast flavors. Ripe and exotic, Belle Côte is the oldest of Peter Michael's estate vineyards and can provide some of the most interesting flavors with bottle age. La Carrière, named after a nearby quarry, is quite a rocky vineyard giving its wines superb minerality. Peter Michael's whites, including the Sauvignon Blanc l'Apres-Midi, all show outstanding propensity to age magnificently. JC Peter Michael Winery, Cuvée Indigene, Chardonnay Sonoma Valley --Vintage 1994 magnum (1) --Vintage 1995 magnum (1) --Vintage 1997 magnum (1) --Vintage 1998 magnum (1) --Vintage 1999 magnum (1) Above 5 magnums per lot