2022 Peter Michael Chardonnay La Carriere

The 2022 Chardonnay La Carriere displays a youthful medium yellow color with a light haze. It comes from the poorest and steepest single blocks of the property, with a 45% grade slope, and though the vines look young, they are now over 30 years old. The wine is open and inviting on the nose with aromas of poached pear, honeycomb, preserved citrus lemon confit, graham cracker, and meringue. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, with a gorgeous and weightless texture. It has a haunting feel and will likely be a wine that gains some weight and density over time. It’s beautiful now, though, with a lovely hint of spice lasting on the finish. Drink 2026-2038. Sir Peter Michael founded his eponymous winery in 1982, inspired by the wine of Chateau Montelena, which led him to California. In 2020, Robert Fiore took the helm as winemaker, while former winemaker Luc Morlet remains as a consultant. Robert studied at the Colorado School of Mines, which led him to a career in environmental geophysics before finding his path into the world of wine. He went on to UC Davis to study Viticulture and Enology. Most recently, Robert was a member of the winemaking team at Continuum in Napa. Vineyard manager Javier Avina has championed the land since 1991. Each of the sites are steep hillsides in Knights Valley that modulate with varied exposition and soils. Sir Peter’s son Paul and his wife Emily oversee the management of the winery today.