{"title":"Peter Michael \u0026 Morlet Chardonnays","description":"\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eOver the past two decades, Peter Michael Winery and Morlet Family Vineyards have established themselves as\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003etwo of California's greatest white wine producers, crafting immaculate Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Semillon from Napa Valley and Sonoma County.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eThe two estates' histories are intertwined, as Luc Morlet left his position as\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePeter Michael's head winemaker\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eto establish his estate in 2006. Succeeding him was his younger brother, Nic Morlet, who owned the winemaking efforts from 2005 to 2020. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eBoth sets of white wines are\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecrafted with an \"Old World\" approach\u003c\/span\u003e, favoring French oak for rich and refined final cuvées. Bottles from\u003cspan\u003e Morlet have gained comparisons to Haut-Brion Blanc, while Peter Michael white wines are often noted for their similarity to Grand Cru White Burgundy wines. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"marcassin-estate-chardonnay-2011-750ml","title":"2011 Marcassin, Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, Bottle (750ml)","description":"The 2011 is a great Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard from a much-maligned and sometimes excessively criticized vintage. 2011 has its low points, but there are many producers who got it right, and survived the challenging growing and harvest conditions. This wine has phenomenal intensity, with plenty of crushed rock, pineapple, honeysuckle, orange and tangerine blossom in an elegant, medium to full-bodied style, with terrific intensity, good acidity and freshness. This is more evolved than either the 2009 or 2010, and probably will be a candidate for 7-8 years of aging, rather than 10 or more. (RP) Mar 2015","brand":"Marcassin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":32965524521019,"sku":"USW:MAR:MRCE-0750-2011-F0L0C0","price":545.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/USWMARMRCE-0750-2011-F0L0C0_6e5e5ba0-b6f2-48ab-98cb-b1f1f89f454a.jpg?v=1775163523"},{"product_id":"peter-michael-la-carriere-chardonnay-2017-750ml","title":"2017 Peter Michael, La Carriere, Knights Valley, Bottle (750ml)","description":"JD97 (Peter Michael Chardonnay La Carriere) The 2017 Chardonnay La Carriere is a rich, powerful style of Chardonnay, yet it stays vibrant and fresh, with terrific balance. Notes of orange blossom, pineapple, caramelized citrus, and white flowers, as well as a touch of minerality all, emerge from this full-bodied, multi-dimensional, layered beauty that's going to evolve for at least a decade. ","brand":"Peter Michael","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":32967016742971,"sku":"USW:PET:PMLC-0750-2017-F0L0C0","price":129.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/USWPETPMLC-0750-2017-F0L0C0.jpg?v=1773173926"},{"product_id":"faethm-fingers-crossed-white-2020-750ml","title":"2020 Fingers Crossed, Head Held High White, Bottle (750ml)","description":"LP97 \"I continue to love, love, love this 2020 Head Held High White Wine. It’s a blend of 80% Chardonnay, 12% Roussanne, and 8% Marsanne from Bien Nacido and Sanford \u0026amp; Benedict Vineyards. The wine went through 100% malo-lactic, and it spent 21 months in French oak barrels, 91% new. One year after bottling, it’s a little closed to start off, slowly unfurling to offer notes of yellow apples, yuzu, orange blossoms, and chalk dust, with hints of almond croissant and fresh hay. The full-bodied palate has bags of savory laced apple and citrus layers with an alluring creaminess to the texture and seamless freshness, finishing long and chalky. I suggest decanting this and keeping the decanter in the fridge for a good hour or two before serving, then taking it out for about 15-20 minutes before pouring it to ensure it’s not served too cold. 288 cases were made.\" LPB Aug 2023\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nJD97 \"Tasted out of bottle and mostly from Bien Nacido (the 2021 is mostly Sanford \u0026amp; Benedict), the 2020 Held Head High White checks in as 80% Chardonnay, 12% Roussanne, and 8% Marsanne. It has a beautiful salty, mineral-driven style as well as ample stone fruits, medium to full body, a focused, chiseled, yet concentrated mouthfeel, and awesome length on the finish. It's a singular, layered, remarkably complete white that will evolve for a decade.\u003c!--more--\u003eLooking at the 2020s from Fingers Crossed, these show the richer, riper style of the vintage and are noticeably bigger wines than the 2021s. Nevertheless, they hold onto a beautiful sense of vibrancy and are flawlessly balanced. The 2021s come across as more cool climate-inspired, with bright, fresher styles that certainly had me thinking of comparisons from the Rhône (the Syrah in particular). One thing is sure, you can’t go wrong with any of these latest releases from Nicolas and Julia Krankl. In addition, I expect production to increase slightly here going forward, as they’ve been able to pick up a few additional parcels in top vineyards in Santa Barbara County.\" JD Aug 2023","brand":"Fingers Crossed","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44008322171117,"sku":"SQN:SQN:FAWH-0750-2020-F0L0C0","price":169.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/SQNSQNFAWH-0750-2020-F0L0C0.jpg?v=1776730491"},{"product_id":"morlet-coup-de-coeur-chardonnay-2016-750ml","title":"2016 Morlet, Chardonnay Coup Coeur, Sonoma Coast, Bottle (750ml)","description":"RP98+ The 2016 Chardonnay Coup de Coeur comes from Old Wente clones and is a selection of the finest barrels. It's just a little shy at this very young stage, with the nose revealing subtle allspice, powder ginger and yuzu scents with a core of peach tart, orange blossoms, crushed rocks and lime cordial. Full-bodied and absolutely packed with tightly wound layers of citrus and stone fruits, it has a fantastic backbone of crisp freshness injecting incredible tension and carrying the flavors to an epically long finish. This will be incredibly long lived. 125 cases produced.","brand":"Morlet","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46962883428589,"sku":"USW:MOR:COEU-0750-2016-F0L0C0","price":249.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/USWMORCOEU-0750-2016-F0L0C0.jpg?v=1726850765"},{"product_id":"2020-peter-michael-la-carriere-knights-valley-bottle-750ml","title":"2020 Peter Michael, La Carriere, Knights Valley, Bottle (750ml)","description":"LP95 The 2020 La Carriere charges out of the gate with exuberant notes of fresh pineapple, juicy apricots, and poached pears, followed by hints of candied ginger, butterscotch, and cedar. The full-bodied palate is completely coated with rich stone fruit and apple-inspired flavors, framed by plenty of freshness and a decadently oily texture, finishing long and spicy. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nJD95 On the nose, the 2020 Chardonnay La Carriere is flush with sunny primary fruit of peach, ripe pineapple, and flinty minerality. The body is full, with a glycerin-rich mouthfeel, and ripe with cantaloupe, custard, and lemon candy. Drink this over the next 10 or more years.\u003c!--more--\u003eSir Peter Michael founded his eponymous winery in 1982, after having been inspired by the wine of Chateau Montelena, which led him to California. In 2020, Robert Fiore took the helm as winemaker, but the previous 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 that modulate with varied exposition and soils in the Knights Valley. Sir Peter’s son Paul and his wife Emily oversee the management of the winery today.","brand":"Peter Michael","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47945314107629,"sku":"USW:PET:PMLC-0750-2020-F0L0C0","price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/USWPETPMLC-0750-2020-F0L0C0.jpg?v=1748040432"},{"product_id":"2017-morlet-chardonnay-ma-princesse-russian-river-valley-bottle-750ml","title":"2017 Morlet Family Vineyards Ma Princesse Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Bottle (750ml)","description":"RP97 \"Ma Princesse comes from the Richie vineyard in Russian River, planted to Old Wente clone selection, from vines that are 50+ years old. The 2017 Chardonnay Ma Princesse is a little reticent to begin, opening slowly with delicate notes of lemon meringue pie, white peaches and lime leaves plus emerging nuances of wet slate, paraffin wax, struck flint and croissant with a waft of praline. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is tightly wound and packed with taut citrus and mineral layers, framed by fantastic freshness and a satiny texture, finishing wonderfully tangy. 350 cases were made.\" LPB for TWA Dec 2019\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJD97 \"Sourced from the Ritchie Vineyard in the Russian River Valley (unquestionably a Grand Cru site) and all old Wente Clones aged in one-third new French oak, the 2017 Chardonnay Ma Princesse is a richer, more powerful Chardonnay and has awesome notes of honeysuckle, brioche, orange blossom, hazelnuts, and citrus. This beauty shows some obvious minerality on the palate, with bright, racy acidity, tons of fruit, and a great finish. It's up there with the creme de la creme of the vintage.\" JD Jun 2019","brand":"Morlet","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47978085679341,"sku":"USW:MOR:PRIN-0750-2017-F0L0C0","price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/USWMORPRIN-0750-2017-F0L0C0.jpg?v=1748040390"},{"product_id":"2021-morlet-family-vineyards-la-proportion-doree-sonoma-county-bottle-750ml","title":"2021 Morlet Family Vineyards La Proportion Doree, Sonoma County, Bottle (750ml)","description":"RP99 \"Composed of mostly Semillon, along with 31% Sauvignon Blanc and a small but fragrant addition of 1% Muscadelle, the 2021 La Proportion Doree comes from 30-year-old, dry-farmed vines and was barrel fermented. It pours a bright yellow color and takes on another gear in the glass, cascading open with generous aromas of fresh currants, candle wax, jasmine, and a lift of white pepper spice. Medium to full-bodied, its structure offers fantastic definition, and it has a concentrated, rich texture, an even spine of acidity, and exceptional length. This is a stunning textural blend to enjoy over the coming 10-12 years. 850 cases were produced.\"\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nLP98 \"The 2021 Proportion Doree is a blend of 68% Semillon, 31% Sauvignon Blanc, and 1% Muscadelle. A little shy to begin, it needs a lot of swirling to bring out notes of grapefruit oil, yellow apples, and honeycomb leading to hints of lime blossom and paraffin wax with a touch of sea spray. The medium to full-bodied palate has a compelling touch of oiliness to the texture with tightly knit citrus and savory layers, finishing long with a steeliness complementing the zestiness.\"","brand":"Morlet","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48692898005229,"sku":"USW:MOR:CONF-0750-2021-F0L0C0","price":129.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/USWMORCONF-0750-2021-F0L0C0_7ced4a36-ccba-4fef-b5ad-532bc8d25243.jpg?v=1768594188"},{"product_id":"2011-peter-michael-la-carriere-knights-valley-bottle-750ml","title":"2011 Peter Michael, La Carriere, Knights Valley, Bottle (750ml)","description":"RP93 \"From a cold, rain-plagued year, the 2011 Chardonnay La Carriere exhibits a light straw color with a greenish hue as well as notes of honeyed brioche, orange marmalade, buttery citrus and terrific fruit. More evolved and seductive than the 2010 at present, the 2011 is a beautiful wine that should drink well for 7-8 years.\" - RP Dec 2013","brand":"Peter Michael","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49404864659693,"sku":"USW:PET:PMLC-0750-2011-F0L0C0","price":99.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/USWPETPMLC-0750-2011-F0L0C0.jpg?v=1771977204"},{"product_id":"2015-morlet-chardonnay-ma-princesse-russian-river-valley-bottle-750ml","title":"2015 Morlet, Chardonnay Ma Princesse, Russian River Valley, Bottle (750ml)","description":"AG94 \"The 2015 Chardonnay Ma Princesse, from Ritchie Vineyard, is lush, creamy and inviting, with no hard edges and terrific balance. There is plenty of textural depth and nuance, but in the mid-weight style that is typical of the Morlet Chardonnays today. The 2015 is all class. (Drink between 2019-2023)\" Antonio Galloni","brand":"Morlet","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49433284182253,"sku":"USW:MOR:PRIN-0750-2015-F0L0C0","price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/USWMORPRIN-0750-2015-F0L0C0.jpg?v=1773174224"},{"product_id":"2023-kongsgaard-the-judge-chardonnay-napa-valley-bottle-750ml","title":"2023 Kongsgaard, The Judge Chardonnay, Napa Valley, Bottle (750ml)","description":"AG97 \"The 2023 Chardonnay The Judge offers a compelling mix of power and finesse. In 2023, the Judge is not quite as opulent as it can be, with the personality of the cool, late-ripening season very much on display. Clean mineral notes cut through a core of candied citrus fruit and floral tones. Time in the glass hints at The Judge's weight and ultimate potential, but this is a wine for the cellar.\" AG for VM Nov. 2025","brand":"Kongsgaard","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49729709080813,"sku":"USW:KON:KONJ-0750-2023-F0L0C0","price":695.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/USWKONKONJ-0750-2023-F0L0C0.jpg?v=1776268442"},{"product_id":"2018-morlet-family-vineyards-la-proportion-doree-sonoma-county-bottle-750ml-writing-on-label","title":"2018 Morlet Family Vineyards La Proportion Doree, Sonoma County, Bottle (750ml) [Writing On Label]","description":"JD100 The flagship Bordeaux white, the 2018 La Proportion Doree is a magical elixir based on Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and a splash of Muscadelle that spent 16 months all in used French oak. Awesome notes of caramelized lime, honeyed nectarines, orange blossom, spice, and exotic flowers all soar from the glass, and it tastes like a top vintage of La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc on steroids. Despite all its richness and size, it’s elegant, seamless, and offers intensity with no sensation of weight or heaviness. I have no idea how long it will keep, but I've no doubt it has a solid decade of longevity ahead of it. However, there's no harm in drinking bottles today. Hats off to winemaker Luc Morlet for fashioning one of the greatest white Bordeaux blends in California! (","brand":"Morlet","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49788226863341,"sku":"USW:MOR:CONF-0750-2018-F0L1C0","price":190.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/USWMORCONF-0750-2018-F0L1C0.jpg?v=1777071941"}],"url":"https:\/\/grandcruliquidassets.com\/collections\/peter-michael-whites.oembed","provider":"Grand Cru Liquid Assets","version":"1.0","type":"link"}