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Peter Michael 'Belle Cote' Chardonnay 2023

ID No: 452119
Organic:Yes
Vintage:2023
Bottle Size:750 ml
Try these Similar In Stock Wines
Peter Michael Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille 2023

'Ma Belle-Fille' was named by Sir Peter as a warm tribute to Emily Michael, his "Daughter-in-Law", and mother of the third generation of the family. Planted at the highest elevation on the estate, the marine influence on Ma Belle-Fille vineyard is greater, resulting in cooler daily temperatures in the summer and autumn months. Situated above the summer fog ceiling and exposed to the southeast, the vineyard receives the very first rays of sunshine each morning and remains sunny all day long. This full exposure, combined with cooler temperatures, causes the fruit to mature earlier than the rest of our estate.

Vintage Notes

The combination of a wet winter with significant rains in December through March and cool weather delayed budbreak nearly a month. Flowering and fruit set were also pushed back and the weather during the later flowering was favorable resulting in decent fruit set and slightly above average yields for the Chardonnay vineyards—a marked improvement over the record-low yielding 2022 vintage. The growing season was temperate without major heat spikes allowing the berries to hold onto their acidity which carried through into the wines. Harvest was almost a month later than normal with the last Belle Cote block coming in on November 2nd.


Winegrowing Notes

At the highest elevation on the estate, the marine influence on Ma Belle-Fille is greater, resulting in cooler daily temperatures in the summer and autumn months. Situated far above the summer fog ceiling and exposed to the southeast, the vineyard receives the very first rays of sunshine each morning and remains sunny all day long. This full exposure, combined with cooler temperatures, causes the fruit to mature earlier than the rest of our estate.


Winemaker's Tasting Notes

Beautifully perfumed with layers of honeysuckle, jasmine and dried orange peel accented by apricot, vanilla cream and spring flower notes, the 2023 ‘Ma Belle-Fille’ delivers with a rich, creamy entry and generous, structured mid-palate showing great drive and intensity with a long, mouth-watering finish. A truly special wine from an extraordinary vintage.

Review:

So delicious and drinkable from the first whiff to the lingering finish. An uber-chardonnay that packs in all the richness of fruit and smooth spiciness of oak fermentation, with vibrant acidity and a silky texture. Well balanced in a cool, ideal vintage and a great candidate for aging longer term. Drinkable now and best from 2030.

James Suckling 99 Points

 99 Points
Peter Michael Chardonnay La Carriere 2023

'La Carrière', French for “The Quarry”, reflects the vineyard’s spoon shape and tremendously rocky soils. Situated between 1,200 and 1,700 feet (366 and 518 meters) above sea level on steep mountain slopes exceeding 40 percent in grade, the vineyard has ideal southern and southeastern exposures. The shallow, rocky soils provide excellent drainage with restricted fertility, resulting in lower fruit yields with profound richness and character. ‘La Carrière’ provides a signature complexity and liquid minerality from its mountainous origin.

Vintage Notes

The combination of a wet winter with significant rains in December through March and cool weather delayed budbreak nearly a month. Flowering and fruit set were also pushed back and the weather during the later flowering was favorable resulting in decent fruit set and slightly above average yields for the Chardonnay vineyards—a marked improvement over the record-low yielding 2022 vintage. The growing season was temperate without major heat spikes allowing the berries to hold onto their acidity which carried through into the wines. Harvest was almost a month later than normal with the last Belle Côte block coming in on November 2nd.


Winegrowing Notes

The name “La Carrière” aptly describes this site’s bowl shape and its tremendously rocky soils. Situated between 1,200 and 1,700 feet above sea level on steep mountain slopes exceeding 40 percent in grade, the vineyard has ideal southern and southeastern exposures. The site’s shallow rocky soils provide excellent drainage, low fertility, and usually the lowest yields on the estate. La Carrière, with its concentrated “liquid minerality,” effectively reflects its mountainous origin.


Winemaker's Tasting Notes

The 2023 ‘La Carrière’ bursts from the glass with a gorgeous medley of jasmine, white peach blossoms, lemon meringue pie, and white roses with hints of vanilla cream, honey, orange zest, and pastry. A vibrant, juicy entry leads to a well-delineated mid-palate structure and continues into a long, mouth-watering finish. As an expression of the steepest Chardonnay blocks of the Knights Valley ranch, the 2023 ‘La Carrière’ is full of energy with great drive, freshness, and nerve, inviting the consumer to enjoy another glass.

Review:

A driving force of appetizing acidity powers this full-bodied, brilliant, elegant and intricate wine. It offers mineral and citrus flavors in equal measure, starting with a lot of fresh lemon and lime zest aromas, then richer baked apple, lemon blossom and brown butter flavors. Feels so focused, linear and alive. Drink now or hold.

 98 Points
Peter Michael 'L'Esprit des Pavots' Estate Red 2022

Peter Michael 'L'Esprit des Pavots' Estate Red is made from 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot. 

The saturated garnet 2022 ‘L’Esprit des Pavots’ features an intense nose of cassis, black cherry, ripe plum and blackberries with hints of black olive, black tea and baking spices. The soft, supple entry and round generous tannins combine for a plush mouthfeel and elegant finish. This is a fleshy vintage of ‘L’Esprit des Pavots’ which can be approached in its early years but will continue to expand with age.


Review:

The deep ruby/magenta-colored 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon L'Esprit Des Pavots is a blend of Knights Valley and Oakville, and it’s fruity upfront with a ripe, floral perfume of purple flowers, violets, blackberries, and blueberries. The palate is full, with ripe tannins, and it retains good freshness despite the heat of this vintage. It offers more immediate appeal and has a more pliant and rounded structure. Drink 2026-2040. 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.

This delicious, almost sweet Bordeaux-style red blend entices with red cherries, strawberries...

The 2022 L'Esprit des Pavots contains 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot (47% of the fruit comes from Knights Valley in Sonoma County and 53% of the fruit comes from Oakville in Napa County). It has pure aromas of black cherries, blueberries, savory herbs, graphite and violet. The full-bodied palate is ripe and concentrated with fine-grained tannins, mouthwatering acidity and a long, perfumed finish. A total of 1,681 cases were made, and the wine will be released in September of 2025.

The 2022 L'Esprit des Pavots is absolutely gorgeous. Bold, juicy and forward, the 2022 is such a charmer. A blast of super-ripe dark red cherry fruit, mocha, truffle, spice, new leather, licorice and new oak makes a strong opening statement. In many vintages, L'Esprit is more aromatic and savory, but the 2022 is all about fruit. The blend is 53% Au Paradis and 47% Les Pavots.

 Vinous Antonio Galloni: 92 Wine Advocate: 93 95 Points
Bellevue Cotes de Bordeaux-Castillon Ce Ma Cuvee 2018

Bellevue Cotes de Bordeaux-Castillon Cé Ma Cuvée is made from 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc

The wine is made with 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Average age of the vines is 50 years old (everything is between 40 and 60 years old).

Cé Ma Cuvée is a tribute from Michel Lydoire to his 2 daughters:
Cé is for Céline. She is like the Merlot grape varietal. Pleasant and calm.
Ma is for Marina. She is like the Cabernet Franc grape varietal. Tough and with a lot of character.

The color is deep and inky. 
The nose is spicy, fruity and oaky with some nice vanilla and coconut aromas. 
The mouthfeel is complex, with ripe red and black fruit flavors. Some spiciness and integrated oak flavors.

The wine starts as the Vieilles vignes, but some wine is aged in 500-liter American Oak Barrels for 18 months. 
They are using a mix of different toastiness for the barrels. Some high toast and some are medium toast.

This is a fun wine that can be enjoyed with any food, charbroil burgers, grilled vegetables, cheeses ... or even with dark chocolate desserts.




Bellevue Cotes de Bordeaux-Castillon Vieilles Vignes 2020

Bellevue Cotes de Bordeaux-Castillon Vieilles Vignes 2020 is 65% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc.

Average age of the vines is 40 years old. 

The wine offers a rich and intense bouquet of blackcurrant, blackberry and strawberry.
It is smooth and full in the mouth with a velvety texture. Acidity combined with firm but well-integrated tannins are a fine supporting cast to the black fruit flavors at the end.


Pernot Belicard Bourgogne Cote d'Or Chardonnay 2024

Pernot Belicard Bourgogne Cote d'Or Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

The grapes for this wine come from a small parcel of 6 acres in the village of Puligny-Montrachet, resulting in wines of exceptional quality. The same viticulture and vinification methods are applied for all the wines from the Domaine.

The wine offers an expressive nose of white flowers, stone fruits and buttered bread notes. The mouth is mineral and elegant, and delicate toasty nuances bring extra length in the mouth alongside a fresh acidity and a good balance.

Pair with veal Stew, Grilled Salmon, Epoisse cheese




Review:

I buy this wine virtually every year because it consistently delivers more than the price suggests. In fact, I bought a case and a half of the ‘24 even before I had a chance to taste it, based solely on Pernot-Belicard’s extraordinary track record and the greatness of the ’24 vintage for whites. Having tasted it, I’m glad I did! The Côte d’Or moniker appended to Bourgogne means that the grapes come entirely from that revered part of Burgundy. (In contrast, the grapes for Burgundy Blanc can come from anywhere in Burgundy, stretching from Auxerre in the north to the Mâconnais in the south.) Philippe Pernot, who is the grandson of the venerable Paul Pernot, use grapes for this wine that typically come from nine (or so) plots both in Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault that lie outside of those appellations. The stunning 2024 captures depth, minerals and freshness, all showing seamlessly together. Enjoyable now, my experience with the wine tells me that it will develop creaminess over the next couple of years.- Michael Apstein

 94 Points
Product Description

'Belle Côte', French for “Beautiful Slope”, was named by Sir Peter after the famous ski run in Courchevel, France. The oldest of the four Knights Valley Estate Chardonnay vineyards, ‘Belle Côte’ consistently exemplifies the potential of crafting exceptionally high-quality Chardonnay from our mountain vineyards. Planted at 1,700 to 1,800 feet (518 to 549 meters), Belle Côte has a southeastern exposure and a western border of native trees, which shelter the vines from the hot afternoon sun. These unique attributes create a naturally cool microclimate that provides an extended growing period and slow-ripening fruit, resulting in a later picking schedule that often continues into October (two to three weeks longer than most Chardonnay vineyards in Napa and Sonoma Counties).


Vintage Notes


The combination of a wet winter with significant rains in December through March and cool weather delayed budbreak nearly a month. Flowering and fruit set were also pushed back and the weather during the later flowering was favorable resulting in decent fruit set and slightly above average yields for the Chardonnay vineyards—a marked improvement over the record-low yielding 2022 vintage. The growing season was temperate without major heat spikes allowing the berries to hold onto their acidity which carried through into the wines. Harvest was almost a month later than normal with the last Belle Côte block coming in on November 2nd.


Winegrowing Notes


As the oldest of the four Peter Michael Winery estate Chardonnay blocks, 'Belle Côte' exemplifies the consistent quality of Chardonnay these mountain vineyards produce. Due to the naturally cool climate of the site’s high elevation, and mitigated exposure to the hot afternoon sun by its southeastern exposure and a stand of trees on its western border, the vines are allowed to slowly ripen. The growing season for Belle Côte typically extends into October, two to three weeks longer than most Chardonnay vineyards in Napa and Sonoma Counties.


Winemaker's Tasting Notes


With highly expressive aromatics of orange blossom, jasmine, candied orange peel, and rose petal, the 2023 'Belle Côte' showcases its unique terroir and thirty-three-year-old vines with a rich, creamy entry, dense, broad, juicy mid-palate and a lengthy, refined finish. There is a seamless quality to this wine that matches power, gras, and intensity with structure and weightlessness. The 2023 'Belle Côte' can be enjoyed in its youth or after many years of cellaring.



Review:

This extraordinary estate-grown wine from a great vintage is super vibrant, energized and tangy, with vital acidity supporting luscious ripe pear and apple flavors on a silky texture. Can't think of anything it lacks. Seamless, layered, yet structured and fresh, boding well for longer-term aging. It has a melts-in-the-mouth quality and an extra long finish. Drinkable now and best from 2030.

-James Suckling 100 Points

Winery: Peter Michael

Upon discovery of the Knights Valley Ranch in 1982, Sir Peter Michael pledged his 100×100 vision for the ranch and winery to remain under family stewardship for 100 years.

Once referred to as Sugar Loaf Ranch spanning just over 600 acres, today the Knights Valley Ranch encompasses nearly 750 acres (304 hectares), inclusive of vineyards on the hillsides of Mount St Helena at elevations reaching 2,000 ft. (609 meters), meandering down through forests to the valley floor where the winery, gardens and olive orchards reside.

Sir Peter and Lady Michael embraced the land as their home away from home, creating a sanctuary for generations to come. Today, their son Paul, and his wife Emily, continue the vision. And with each generation, the commitment and passion deepens.

Peter Michael is an engineer by training, an entrepreneur by daring, and a vintner by adventurous intent. Born in 1938, Peter grew up in Croydon, in South London, not far from Charing Cross. Following meeting Maggie at a ballroom dance class and later marrying, he founded a variety of businesses, ranging from technology to broadcasting, culminating in the establishment of his eponymously named winery in 1987. In 1989, Peter Michael was knighted Sir Peter Michael by Queen Elizabeth II of England.



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Review:

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Peter Michael 'L'Esprit des Pavots' Estate Red 2022

Peter Michael 'L'Esprit des Pavots' Estate Red is made from 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot. 

The saturated garnet 2022 ‘L’Esprit des Pavots’ features an intense nose of cassis, black cherry, ripe plum and blackberries with hints of black olive, black tea and baking spices. The soft, supple entry and round generous tannins combine for a plush mouthfeel and elegant finish. This is a fleshy vintage of ‘L’Esprit des Pavots’ which can be approached in its early years but will continue to expand with age.


Review:

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 Vinous Antonio Galloni: 92 Wine Advocate: 93 95 Points
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Review:

Blackberry, graphite and white pepper aromas that follow through to a medium body with light, fine tannins and a savory finish. Delicate and delicious. A blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and sangiovese. Drink now.

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-Revista Adega 91 Points

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Zena Crown Vineyard The Sum Pinot Noir 2021

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Review:

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Review:

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Nickel & Nickel Truchard Vineyard Chardonnay 2023

Nickel & Nickel Truchard Vineyard Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 

The 2023 Nickel & Nickel Truchard Chardonnay opens with enticing aromatics of tropical fruit, tangerine, and a hint of honeysuckle. On the palate, it presents a bright and vibrant profile, with a natural lift from its fresh fruit flavors and lively acidity. The tropical and citrus notes are complemented by a subtle brioche character, while the oak imparts a pleasant roundness, bringing balance and weight to the wine.

 

Review:

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Winemaker Joe Harden ages his Truchard Vineyard Chardonnay for 10 months in 30% new French oak, with minimal stirring and no malolactic fermentation, allowing for a slightly more pronounced oak presence. Truchard, one of Carneros' most esteemed sites, is characterised by rolling hills with ideal sun exposure and cooling breezes. Harden sources fruit from eight distinct blocks across the vineyard’s expansive 109 hectares, with harvests spanning roughly a month. Among the selections is Clone 809, a Muscat clone that adds floral aromatics and a touch of baking spice. The Truchard Chardonnay exhibits a silky texture on the palate, layered with citrus peel and tropical hints of apricot and peach. A rich spine of acidity is further heightened by vivid mineral tension, creating a wine that is both racy and rich. Elegantly balanced, it’s a delightful sipper with impressive depth and vibrancy.

-Decanter 94 Points

"Nickel & Nickel's Berlenbach Vineyard Chardonnay was aged 10 months in 20% new French oak, with minimal stirring and no malolactic fermentation. The grapes were sourced from the 7ha Berlenbach site, owned by the Far Niente family, located on the east side of Coombsville with a picturesque western exposure. The vineyard's soils consist of volcanic ash, gravel, and well-draining loam, making it the coolest site they harvest from—a characteristic reflected in the wine's vibrant freshness. The finished wine exhibits crisp, crunchy acidity and a cool, wet slate minerality. Elegant baking spice notes intermingle with crunchy yellow apple, firm, ripe pear, and subtle wildflower nuances. A hint of mountain grass and crushed salted Marcona almonds adds depth to the medium-bodied finish, making this Chardonnay both refined and expressive."

-Decanter World Wine Awards 96 Points

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