Peter Michael Chardonnay La Carriere Vineyard, Knights Valley 2018   

2018 Peter Michael Chardonnay La Carriere Vineyard, Knights Valley
San Francisco Wine Panel Score 96 Points

Peter Michael Chardonnays age beautifully yet their combination of intensity, richness, piquancy and minerality builds the energy to make them seductive and exciting even in their youth. The nose of this bottling is a sharply focused mix of lemon, orange and grapefruit scents supported by richer notes of white peach, peach pit and honey-drenched nuts, the forgoing all tightly wrapped in a blanket of saline-tipped minerality. That same tense energy makes the densely-packed flavors and weighty richness seem lighter and sleeker on the mid-palate and through its lingering, flavor-packed finish. Cellaring will certainly layer-in further dimension, but this vintage of La Carrière is already a pleasure.

Wine Advocate

97+ Points

La Carriere is situated at an elevation of around 1,200-1,700 feet with a rocky, shallow, volcanic soil that gives low fertility and is among the lowest yields of all the Peter Michael vineyards. The vineyard is planted to Dijon and Hyde (Old Wente) clone selections. This 2018 Chardonnay la Carriere starts off very citrusy, leaping from the glass with notes of fresh limes and grapefruit, before coming through with alluring honey-drizzled peaches, fresh ginger and preserved kumquat notes. The medium to full-bodied palate is super-intense with beautiful tension lighting up a shimmering palate of citrus and mineral layers, finishing long and steely. 2,642 cases were made. Drink Date 2023 - 2038. Lisa Perrotti-Brown 4th Feb 2021