The Peter Michael Winery retrospective tasting

Tucked away in the volcanic ridges overlooking Mount St Helena, Sir Peter Michael found the ideal location to pursue an early childhood dream of producing wine.

In 1982 he purchased the Sugarloaf Ranch in Knights Valley, Sonoma County. He was drawn by the dramatic landscape, which reaches 600 metres above sea level with some slopes over 40 degrees, and planted Bordeaux varietals on the lower slopes with Chardonnay occupying the higher elevations.

Scroll down for a summary of the tasting, plus full tasting notes & scores

Since the first vintage in 1987, Sir Peter Michael has had an impressive list of winemakers, including Helen Turley, Mark Aubert and, since 2005, Nicolas Morlet, who took the reins from his brother Luc. Born in Epernay, the brothers grew up at the family’s domaine in Champagne, Pierre Morlet & Fils, where wine became their life. By way of destiny, Nicolas ended up in the Napa Valley working at Joseph Phelps Vineyards, before eventually finding his way to Peter Michael Winery.As the estate developed, Sir Peter Michael started to grow the vision and acquired land in Fort Ross-Seaview in 1997. This mountainous area in the west of Sonoma Coast is ideal for growing Pinot Noir.

In 2009, after meticulous consideration, a piece of land was purchased in the prized Oakville appellation adjacent to Dalla Valle Vineyards, where Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot thrive.

Terroir-first

‘Winemaking at Peter Michael Winery is simple, classical winemaking with limited production,’ Morlet explains, adding, ‘Our goal is to let the terroir speak for itself…winemaking is the same for each line of wines by design, highlighting the vintages and vineyards.’

The tasting

In March 2019, guided by Paul and Emily Michael, and Nicolas Morlet, we commenced a series of retrospective tastings. The flights were quite revealing of the stamina and longevity of these mountain wines.

2006 Chardonnays

2006 was a vintage marked by hail and snow at the start of the season, followed by a late but even bud-break, a sharp heat spike in July and a foggy September.

The 2006 Estate Chardonnay flight was exhilarating, with a dramatic distinction between the four vineyards. The brightness and lively personality of the Ma Belle-Fille vineyard Chardonnay stood out, thanks to the highest elevation plantings influenced by the site’s marine exposure, and it’s layers will give it life for years to come. Compared to other 2006 California Chardonnays, in my experience this stacks up very well and gives hope to Knights Valley.

Au Paradis

The Au Paradis Vineyard, situated in the Oakville AVA on red boomer loam with clay, silt and sand, was planted in 1984 and 2007. It has an elevation of 150m to 182m.

The Au Paradis flight ranged from 2013 to 2016, and a clear distinction of the vintage stamp was palpable. The 2014 vintage stole the show with a beautiful and layered masterpiece of nature.

2011 Seaview Pinot Noirs

2011 started with a cool and wet spring that offered an even growing season without heat spikes.

The Seaview Vineyard is located in Fort Ross-Seaview, occupying the first ridgeline from the coast and ranging in elevation from 305m to 457m above sea level. It is composed of a patchwork of rocky alluvial sediments, decomposing volcanic material and clay.

The 2011 Seaview Pinot Noir tasting was accentuated by the differences between the herbal La Caprice and the bold, masculine Clos du Ciel.

Les Pavots

Les Pavots Vineyard is named after the wild poppies that grow throughout. It’s located at an altitude of 304m to 426m on volcanic Rhyolite soils with a southerly exposure. The vines were planted between 1989 and 1999.

As for Les Pavots – a Bordeaux-style blend and the estate’s flagship wine – we tasted from 2013 through 2016, noting the stylistic differences relating to climatic features in each vintage, which brought out opulence in 2013 and restraint and finesse in 2016.

Overall, this was a fascinating retrospective which demonstrates the quality and ageability of these wines, standing shoulder to shoulder with the world’s best.

Tasting the wines: Peter Michael Winery retrospective:

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