2020 Peter Michael, La Carriere, Knights Valley, Bottle (750ml)

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.

JD95 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.Sir 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.