2016 Chardonnay Point Rouge

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The 2016 Chardonnay Point Rouge explodes from the glass with a myriad of citrus and stone fruit notes—grapefruit, lemon tart, key lime pie and fresh nectarines—with hints of baking bread, toasted almonds, crushed rocks, spice cake and wet pebbles. The palate is full-bodied, rich and totally decadent yet with bags of finesse and nuances in the tightly knit mouth, finishing very long and layered. 275 cases produced.

Per winemaker Nicolas Morlet, the goal with the 2016 Chardonnay Point Rouge is length and power without heaviness. It delivers the goods and offers a huge bouquet of apricot, pineapple, flowers, and caramelized citrus. Deep, rich, and concentrated, yet also tight and inward at the moment, it has beautifully integrated acidity, an incredible finish, and shows the elegant, seamless, silky style of the vintage. Located north of Napa Valley, in the Knights Valley AVA of Sonoma, Peter Michael utilizes the incredible talent of Frenchman Nicolas Morlet (whose brother Luc runs Morlet Estate in Napa, and was previously the winemaker at Peter Michael). These classic, traditionally made wines certainly have an old world feel/style, yet never lose their California soul. They produce two brilliant Bordeaux Blanc look-alikes, a bevy of Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, and three Bordeaux blends. It can be a complex lineup to wrap your head around, but the cuvees show singular characters and the quality is off the charts.