Peter Michael Winery Wine Tasting with Special Guest Rob Casey, National Sales Director Thursday, September 18, 2025 7:30 PM
What is better than to sit at the end of a day and drink wine with friends, or substitute for friends.
-James Joyce
I have not needed any substitutes this year as almost every tasting we have hosted has SOLD OUT, many before we even send the announcement out. I just received an incredible collection of older vintage Peter Michael wines and if we had not just put this up on the calendar a few days ago it would have already been half sold as this is one of California’s top wineries and still sells at a relative value based on all the 100 point scores these wines have received in both the red and white category. Which is unique as Chardonnay that scores those last two points are unicorns!
If you can’t make the tasting, we have the entire stock of Peter Michael wines in the store on this offering so you can enjoy a Peter Michael experience at home with your “Wine Drinking People” or I’m not opposed to drinking alone especially great wines like this and make sure you save some for the next day… nothing better than Peter Michael leftovers!!
Join us as we experience 11 different wines from Peter Michael Winery including the 2012 Au Paradis which was the #1 wine in the Wine Spectator’s top 100 a few years back. The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $350 + tax for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.
Peter Michael Winery Wine Tasting
with Special Guest Rob Casey, National Sales Director
Thursday, September 18, 2025
7:30 PM
2023 Peter Michael Sauvignon Blanc L'Apres Midi Knights Valley
2016 Peter Michael 'L'Apres-Midi' Sauvignon Blanc Knights Valley
2023 Peter Michael Belle Cote Chardonnay Knights Valley
2018 Peter Michael Chardonnay Belle Cote Knights Valley
2023 Peter Michael 'Le Caprice' Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, USA
2019 Peter Michael 'Le Caprice' Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, USA
2021 Peter Michael L' Esprit Des Pavots Knights Valley
2021 Peter Michael 'Les Pavots' Estate Red, Knights Valley, USA
2018 Peter Michael 'Les Pavots' Estate Red, Knights Valley, USA
2021 Peter Michael Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis Napa
2012 Peter Michael Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis Napa
Menu
Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie
Dungeness Crab Cake with Corn Lemon Thyme Custard and Smoked Lemon Vinaigrette
Seared Duck Breast with Sundried Cherry Sauce
Colorado Rack of Lamb with Jalapeno Garlic Mint Jam and Mansor Dal Mushroom Succotash
Chocolate Mousse Tart
The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $350 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com. Please let us know when you make your reservations if you have any dietary restrictions and chefs Toni and Dani will be happy to accommodate you.
A bit about Peter Michael Winery:
In 1982, after an extensive, seven-year search for California property to serve as both family retreat and vineyard, Sir Peter Michael purchased 630 acres of volcanic ridges on the western face of Mount St. Helena in Knights Valley. For the entrepreneurial founder of Quantel and frequent visitor to Northern California, it was love at first sight.
In 1983, with the help of his wife, Lady Michael, they planted red Bordeaux varietals in the volcanic soils at the site. Four years later they hired Helen Turley to make their first wine, the 1987 Mon Plaisir Chardonnay, produced from fruit grown at the nearby Gauer Estate (now Alexander Mountain Estate) in the Alexander Valley. The wine was followed a year later by their first Cuvée Red Bordeaux Indigène Chardonnay, a barrel selection of wine fermented with indigenous yeast.
Over the years the family expanded their plantings of red Bordeaux varietals on the lower, warmer sites and Chardonnay on the higher, cooler portions of the estate. To take full advantage of their unique conditions, each block was delineated and developed based upon the intricate puzzle of terroir. Soils, microclimates, topography and exposures were all considered in the selection of varieties, rootstocks, row orientation, vine spacing and drainage. In addition to the vines, the family also ensured the long-term natural balance of the estate by restoring native habitats and extensively reforesting with native species trees.
In 1998, the family purchased the 400-acre Seaview property located on the true Sonoma Coast. This amazing site possesses the best attributes of both coastal and mountain sites. While the climate is quite cool throughout the growing season, its location above the fog line provides enough sunlight to fully ripen the fruit. Seaview was planted to Pinot Noir in 2006 and 2007. In 2009, the winery also purchased a 41-acre parcel on a raised plateau overlooking the east side of Napa’s Oakville appellation with 26 planted acres of red Bordeaux varietals.
Some of the most illustrious names in the industry have served as Peter Michael’s winemaker including: Helen Turley, Mark Aubert, Vanessa Wong, Luc Morlet, and current winemaker Nicolas Morlet. Throughout its history, the winery has continued to reflect Sir Peter’s founding credo of “mountain vineyards, classical winemaking, limited production.” In keeping with Sir Peter’s “100 by 100 plan” – 100% family ownership for at least 100 years – there has been a generational passing of the baton at the estate. Over the past few years, son Paul Michael and his wife Emily have assumed increasing responsibility in the strategic direction of the winery.
All of the Peter Michael wines in stock at Wine Watch:
2023 Peter Michael Sauvignon Blanc L'Apres Midi Knights Valley
Price: $89.25 Your Price: $78.54
The 2023 L’Après-Midi Sauvignon Blanc (la-prey mi-di) is produced from grapes grown on the cool slopes along side of our Les Pavots Bordeaux red varietals. L’Après-Midi translates from French to “the afternoon.” A wine delicious and easy enough to drink anytime – for example, the afternoon. Sir Peter is fond of pointing out that it is always the afternoon somewhere in the world..
Winemaker Tasting Notes: Visually compelling with a translucent, silver color accented by a bright, pale golden hue. The bouquet is reminiscent of neroli, expressing vine and orange blossom along with a vibrant oyster shell and granitic minerality heightened by fresh lime, lemon fruit, and gooseberry, with a hint of pine needle and verbena. The flavors are introduced with a touch of freshness and glycerol, carrying elegant white spring flowers—jasmine and white vine rose with a resounding array of fruit, Vosges lemon candy, gooseberry, grapefruit to mandarin, and guava. The finish is balanced, precise, mineral-driven, and elegant, revealing white currant, apricot, acacia honey, and quince paste. This wine will benefit from several years of cellaring to develop further complexity and express the originality of the vintage.
2021 Peter Michael 'La Carriere' Chardonnay Knights Valley, USA
Price: $135.00 Your Price: $118.80 Quantity in Stock: 13
(97 points) I tasted the 2021 Chardonnay La Carrière as a finished tank sample the day before it was bottled. It comes from vines planted in 1994 on volcanic soils and was matured for 12 months in about 40% new French oak. It opens soft and creamy on the nose, gaining in intensity as it blossoms to scents of matchstick, saline, Meyer lemons and wafts of lemongrass. The medium-bodied palate has a satiny texture and focused acidity to support its expansive, perfumed fruit, and its classy new oak character is already well integrated. I love this juxtaposition of concentrated flavor and shimmery, energetic acidity. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Barrel Sample: 95-97
2020 Peter Michael La Carriere Chardonnay Knights Valley
Price: $149.00 Sale Price: $119.00 Quantity in Stock: 4
(94 Points -- Wine Advocate) Matured for 12 months in about 40% new French oak, the 2020 Chardonnay La Carrière is more aromatically reserved than its 2021 counterpart, taking time to give up scents of baked peaches, pie crust, jasmine and allspice. The medium-bodied palate is open and inviting, with refreshing acidity to balance its concentrated, spicy fruit and a touch of phenolic texture anchoring the long finish. It continues to blossom dramatically with air, so give this a couple of hours in the decanter to show its best. 2,150 cases were made. (EB) Review Date: 02/2023
2019 Peter Michael 'La Carriere' Chardonnay Knights Valley
Price: $160.00 Sale Price: $129.00 Quantity in Stock: 3
(97 Points) “Aromas of sliced pineapple and apple with some lime. Hint of vanilla, too. Full-bodied with ash, crushed stones and minerals. Tangy acidity with lime. Extremely intense and lively. Fantastic finish. Matchstick notes.” James Suckling.
2018 Peter Michael Chardonnay La Carriere Knights Valley
Price: $135.00 Your Price: $118.80 Quantity in Stock: 20
La Carrière is the steepest rockiest vineyard on our Knights Valley estate. Situated between 1,200 and 1,700 feet above sea level on steep mountain slopes, some exceeding forty percent in grade, the vineyard has ideal southern and southeastern exposures. Shallow rocky soils provide excellent drainage, low fertility and the lowest average yields on the estate. Typically La Carrière offers the leanest most citrus like fruit profile of any of our Chardonnays coupled with vivid “liquid minerality” that speaks of sea salt and wet stones. The name translates to "The Quarry."
2017 Peter Michael Chardonnay La Carriere Knights Valley
Price: $135.00 Your Price: $118.80 Quantity in Stock: 6
(96 points) “The 2017 Chardonnay La Carrière has a little more Old Wente clone selection in it this year. It features a bombastic, staggeringly expressive nose of baked peaches, honey-drizzled pears, crème brulee and lemon tart with wafts of poached pears, gingerbread and toasted almonds. Full-bodied, rich and seductive in the mouth, the palate is completely coated in honey-laced stone fruit and spiced pears layers, featuring and racy backbone and hedonic texture, finishing very long and spicy. (LPB).” (2/2020) Wine Advocate
2016 Peter Michael 'La Carriere' Chardonnay Knights Valley MAGNUM
Price: $350.00 Sale Price: $285.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(96 Points -- Wine Advocate) The 2016 Chardonnay la Carriere has a delicate nose of white peaches, grapefruit and honeysuckle with a yeasty undercurrent and a waft of allspice. Medium-bodied, the palate has great elegance and sophistication, with a quiet intensity of citrus and stone fruit layers and a lively backbone, finishing with mineral nuances. To be bottled in February 2018; 1,940 cases are expected. Rating 94-96. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2023 Peter Michael Belle Cote Chardonnay Knights Valley
Price: $142.50 Your Price: $125.40
Winery Notes: The grapes for Belle Côte are grown at 1,700 to 1,800 feet above sea level. The high elevation, in combination with a more sheltered site, create conditions for a long and slow ripening. The resulting wine offers the broadest, fattest fruit profile of our four single vineyard Chardonnays, with clean citrus notes, exotic lychee and our signature wet stone-like minerality.
2022 Peter Michael 'Belle Cote' Chardonnay Knights Valley, USA
Price: $138.00 Your Price: $121.44 Quantity in Stock: 2
The grapes for Belle Côte are grown at 1,700 to 1,800 feet above sea level. The high elevation, in combination with a more sheltered site, create conditions for a long and slow ripening. The resulting wine offers the broadest, fattest fruit profile of our four single vineyard Chardonnays, with clean citrus notes, exotic lychee and our signature wet stone-like minerality.
2021 Peter Michael 'Belle Cote' Chardonnay Knights Valley, USA
Price: $138.00 Your Price: $121.44 Quantity in Stock: 19
The grapes for Belle Côte are grown at 1,700 to 1,800 feet above sea level. The high elevation, in combination with a more sheltered site, create conditions for a long and slow ripening. The resulting wine offers the broadest, fattest fruit profile of our four single vineyard Chardonnays, with clean citrus notes, exotic lychee and our signature wet stone-like minerality.
2018 Peter Michael Chardonnay Belle Cote Knights Valley
Price: $148.00 Sale Price: $119.00 Quantity in Stock: 2
(97 Points) An eastern-facing slope on white, dusty soil, this vineyard is the latest of the Peter Michael Chardonnay vineyards to ripen each year. The site is planted mainly to Old Wente and See clone selections with a little Rued clone. Planted in 1990, these are the oldest vines on the estate. The 2018 Chardonnay Belle Cote opens with earthy notions of crushed rocks and chalk dust over a core of fresh apricots, Golden Delicious apples and honeydew melon with a fragrant touch of jasmine. The medium to full-bodied palate is both intense and refreshing, not skimping on the silkiness of the texture and delivering a good, long, zesty finish. (LPB) Review Date: 02/2021, Wine Advocate
2019 Peter Michael 'Mon Plaisir' Chardonnay Sonoma County
Price: $159.00 Sale Price: $129.00 Quantity in Stock: 2
(95 Points) From vines now more than 20 years old, the 2019 Chardonnay Mon Plaisir is a mix of Old Wente selection and another selection, said to come from Montrachet. Despite coming from a sun-drenched site, the pear and melon notes are quite tight and citrusy but prominent, with the oak and lees work pushed well into the background. It's medium to full-bodied, plump and generous in the mouth, with a long, mouthwatering finish. (JC) 95+ Review Date: 05/2022 Wine Advocate
2017 Peter Michael 'Mon Plaisir' Chardonnay Sonoma County
Price: $160.00 Sale Price: $129.00 Quantity in Stock: 12
(96 points) The 2017 Chardonnay Mon Plaisir bursts with fragrant notions of lemongrass, lime leaves and shaved ginger plus floral wafts of jasmine and honeysuckle over a core of nectarines, ripe grapefruit and spice cake. Full-bodied, rich and oh-so-spicy in the mouth, the palate is packed with tropical and stone fruits with tons of freshness and a fantastically savory finish. (LPB) (2/2020) Wine Advocate
2015 Peter Michael 'Mon Plaisir' Chardonnay Sonoma County
Price: $180.00 Sale Price: $150.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
Winemaker Notes: True to its name, the wine is indeed a pleasure: intense and perfumed. 2015 Mon Plaisir displays an exquisite bouquet of lemon cream, fresh butter, grapefruit and a flint-like minerality, with subtle notes of honeysuckle. The palate is rich, full-bodied and creamy with beautiful hints of fresh lemon, pear, greengage, apple and brioche. A mineral character with hints of pain grillé and almond complete the mouth feel of this wine and its long finish. Enjoyable now, it will age for a decade or more.
2021 Peter Michael Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille Sonoma
Price: $157.50 Your Price: $138.60
At the highest elevation on the estate Ma Belle-Fille is an extension of the same slope as La Carrière, sharing its southeastern exposure and lean soils. Situated above the ceiling of the summer morning fog, it receives more sun than lower vineyards. This causes the fruit to mature earlier than the rest of our estate. Ma Belle-Fille also shares La Carrière’s core of lean citrus flavors and vivid minerality, but with layers of baked apple and nectarine rounding out its profile. The name translates to “My Daughter In-Law” in honor of Emily Michael, Paul Michael’s wife and the mother of the youngest generation.
2019 Peter Michael 'Ma Belle-Fille' Chardonnay Knights Valley
Price: $154.00 Sale Price: $124.00 Quantity in Stock: 7
(96 Points) The highest vineyard, planted to selections from Hudson, Calera and Old Wente, the 2019 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille offers up scents of crushed stone and pencil shavings on the nose but follows those up with lush notes of pear and melon on the full-bodied palate. It's round and rich, yet it comes together in a long, lime-riddled and incredibly elegant finish. (JC) 96+ Review Date: 05/2022 Wine Advocate
2017 Peter Michael Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille Knights Valley
Price: $127.50 Your Price: $112.20 Quantity in Stock: 8
Made from grapes grown at the very highest elevation of our property, Ma Belle-Fille is just enough above the cooler La Carrière to crest the summer fogs and is usually the first Chardonnay harvested during each vintage. Layers of baked apple and nectarine round out the lean citrus and vivid minerality it shares with La Carrière.
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. Paul describes the wine as beautiful, generous and complex, which we think is an apt description of our Emily as well.
(98 Points) The 2017 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille comes bounding out of the glass with all the joy and energy of a new puppy, featuring pronounced notes of apricot tart, honey toast, ginger snaps and lemon curd over a core of warm pears, apple pie and allspice, plus a hint of beeswax. Full-bodied, the palate is beautifully creamy and opulent with loads of spicy accents supporting the stone fruit layers, finishing with great freshness and minerality. (LPB) Review Date: 02/2020, Wine Advocate
2017 Peter Michael 'Ma Belle-Fille' Chardonnay Knights Valley
Price: $190.00 Sale Price: $160.00 Quantity in Stock: 3
(98 points) The 2017 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille comes bounding out of the glass with all the joy and energy of a new puppy, featuring pronounced notes of apricot tart, honey toast, ginger snaps and lemon curd over a core of warm pears, apple pie and allspice, plus a hint of beeswax. Full-bodied, the palate is beautifully creamy and opulent with loads of spicy accents supporting the stone fruit layers, finishing with great freshness and minerality. (LPB) (2/2020) Wine Advocate.
2021 Peter Michael Cuvee Indigene Chardonnay Sonoma County
Price: $410.00 Sale Price: $345.00 Quantity in Stock: 3
“The 2021 ‘Cuvée Indigène’ soars from the glass with a medley of lemon blossom, jasmine, white rose, pear, candied lemon and orange peel. The intense entry leads to a mouth-watering, expressive mid-palate with great focus and structure. This lively, dense, superbly balanced Cuvée Indigène showcases ample gras, remarkable texture and tremendous length. Expansive yet precise, the 2021 ‘Cuvée Indigène’ will benefit from 15 years of cellaring.” The Wine Connection.
2019 Peter Michael 'Cuvee Indigene' Chardonnay Sonoma County
Price: $350.00 Sale Price: $275.00 Quantity in Stock: 4
(94 Points) “Stunning and elegant, offering a complex mix of lemon curd, honeysuckle, crème anglaise and butter pastry flavors. Gains focus from mineral details, hints of dried herbs and spices and a fresh burst of acidity.” Wine Spectator.
2023 Peter Michael 'Le Caprice' Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, USA
Price: $187.50 Your Price: $165.00
100% naturally fermented with native yeasts; Barrel aged 18 months, 50% new French; unfined, unfiltered
Situated over 1,000 feet above sea level on steep mountain slopes, some exceeding 50 percent in grade, the vineyard site faces east and northeast. It benefits from both the cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean, just on the other side of the coastal ridge, and the mild, sunny mountain climate. The soil of the vineyard is a composite of clay, silt, and volcanic grav-els, which produces a wine with polished tannins, body, and a hint of graphite minerality. Le Caprice presents the most fruit-driven style among the trio of estate Pinot Noirs.
2019 Peter Michael 'Le Caprice' Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Price: $180.00 Sale Price: $149.00 Quantity in Stock: 8
(93 Points) The 2019 Pinot Noir le Caprice is the most fruit-forward and perhaps least complex of the Peter Michael Pinots, but it's still a fine effort, with notes of spring flowers, rose hips and cinnamon accenting ripe cherries. There's a touch of smoke from the barrels as well. It's medium to full-bodied, with a long, silky-textured finish. (JC) Wine Advocate, Review Date: 05/2022
2021 Peter Michael 'Ma Danseuse' Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Price: $174.00 Your Price: $153.12 Quantity in Stock: 12
(97 Points) The 2021 Pinot Noir Ma Danseuse has deep, youthfully gregarious scents of black cherry, red berries, blood orange, forest floor and dried lavender with generous spicy undertones. The medium-bodied palate is bursting with juicy fruit, enveloped by velvety tannins, and it finishes very long, layered and spicy. You could enjoy it now for its hedonistic fruit or allow it to reveal more of its foresty, earthy character as it matures over the next 10-15 years. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2019 Peter Michael 'Ma Danseuse' Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Price: $230.00 Sale Price: $189.00 Quantity in Stock: 5
(94 Points) Scents of roses, black tea and black cherries appear on the nose of the 2019 Pinot Noir Ma Danseuse. This bottling is on the slightly fuller-bodied side (14.4% alcohol) but by no means overweight, with a wonderfully plush, silky texture and tremendous length on the finish. (JC) Review Date: 05/2022 Wine Advocate
2017 Peter Michael 'Ma Danseuse' Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Price: $130.00 Sale Price: $104.00 Quantity in Stock: 9
(95 Points) This label comes from Fort Ross-Seaview AVA. Medium ruby-purple in color, the 2017 Pinot Noir Ma Danseuse needs a little coaxing to release the wonderful perfume of exotic scents—bergamot, sandalwood, cassia and cinnamon stick—over a cove of Morello cherries, lilacs, dark chocolate and black raspberries, plus a waft of spearmint. Medium-bodied, the palate is incredibly fresh, silken textured and light on its feet and yet with fantastic intensity, finishing long and mineral laced. (LPB) Review Date: 02/2020 Wine Advocate
2019 Peter Michael 'Clos du Ciel' Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Price: $189.00 Sale Price: $159.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(94 Points) The 2019 Pinot Noir Clos du Ciel is simultaneously the ripest and most structured of the Peter Michael Pinot Noirs, coming in at 15.4% alcohol, yet it also has a tart, wiry acid structure and masses of gentle tannins. Up front, it delivers pretty aromas of rose petals and tea leaves, plus ripe cherries and strawberries that linger easily on the finish. (JC) Wine Advocate, Review Date: 05/2022
2019 Peter Michael 'Le Moulin' Rouge Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands
Price: $210.00 Sale Price: $179.00 Quantity in Stock: 2
(95 Points) Peter Michael has been sourcing Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands since the late 1990s, before they planted their own vineyards on the Sonoma Coast. The 2019 Pinot Noir Le Moulin Rouge (from the Pisoni Vineyard) boasts complex herbal and floral elements, like beets and roses, black tea and orris root, plus wonderfully ripe cherries. Full-bodied, round and ripe, with layers of silky tannins and a lingering finish, it's the whole package. (JC) Wine Advocate, Review Date: 05/2022
2021 Peter Michael L' Esprit Des Pavots Knights Valley
Price: $157.50 Your Price: $138.60
(98 Points) The 2021 L'Esprit Des Pavots comes from the Les Pavot Vineyard, with a little more from the Oakville estate, but in this vintage, they started to include these younger 15-year-old vines. It’s built from 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot and pours a red/purple hue. The nose is captivating on opening, with aromas of floral perfume and notes of crushed flowers, sweet tobacco, polished spice, and crushed blackberries, with some red fruit shining through to frame the profile beautifully. It floats on the palate with a full-bodied feel, refined, polished tannins, and a clean, long finish. It’s seamless and haunting and is only going to improve with time. Drink 2027-2050. Jeb Dunnuck, Review Date: N/A
2021 Peter Michael Les Pavots Estate Red Knights Valley
Price: $281.25 Your Price: $225.00
(99 Points) The flagship of the estate, coming from Knights Valley, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Les Pavots is 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 7%, and the rest Petit Verdot. It pours a more pink-rimmed/purple hue and is an exceptional vintage for this wine. It delivers a bit more power upfront on the nose, with a more assertive cologne of polished leather, cassis, compact berries, lavender, and forest sappy herbs. Patience will be a virtue here, as this is a powerfully structured wine with rich, ripe tannins and a fleshy midpalate. It has excellent density and structure and is built for the long haul. The finish is grippy and mineral, noted with a mountainous feel throughout. Drink 2027-2050. Jeb Dunnuck, Review Date: 07/2025
2020 Peter Michael 'Les Pavots' Estate Red Knights Valley
Price: $305.00 Sale Price: $255.00 Quantity in Stock: 2
Vintage Notes: 2020 saw the first February with no rainfall in recorded history. The rains eventually arrived with some particularly late storms: into May and even the very beginning of June which resulted in a good water profile in the soil at the beginning of the growing season. The weather during bloom was temperate and resulted in good fruit set and fairly normal yields. During most of the growing season, 2020 was fairly cool, punctuated by a series of heat spikes in late August and early September then fairly warm temperatures through harvest.
Winegrowing Notes: Grown on the slopes of Mount Saint Helena in Knights Valley, the distinctive aromas and flavors of our proprietary blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot display their hillside origins. Rocky, rhyolitic soils created through volcanic activity millennia ago, contribute a mineral richness and add to the wine’s complexity. Spanning forty-nine acres, Les Pavots ascends to an elevation of nearly 1,400 feet. Merlot and Cabernet Franc grow on the cool upper slopes, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot below.
Winemaker's Tasting Notes: The complex bouquet of blackberry, boysenberry, black cherry, crème de cassis, and dark chocolate with floral notes of dried rose petals and violets exude from the glass of the captivating, shimmering deep red-robed 2020 ‘Les Pavots’. A plush, graceful entry builds to a broad mid-palate supported by very fine tannins. Black tea, dark chocolate, graphite, caramel, and savory notes culminate in a late mid-palate burst before resolving in a long, smooth finish. This is a classy, refined Les Pavots.
2019 PETER MICHAEL LES PAVOTS KNIGHTS VALLEY
Price: $262.50 Your Price: $231.00 Quantity in Stock: 5
(98 Points) The 2019 Les Pavots is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, and the remainder Petit Verdot. It has unfolding layers of dark minerals, with graphite, boysenberry liqueur, and fresh leather. The palate is expressive of its mountain fruit, with more gripping structure but no harsh edges. This is a remarkable wine to hold a few years and enjoy over the following two decades. (AF) Review Date: 08/2022, Jeb Dunnuck
2003 PETER MICHAEL LES PAVOTS ESTATE RED KNIGHTS VALLEY 3 Liter
Price: $1100.00 Sale Price: $900.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(95 Points) This wine has filled out very nicely. Nearly 3,000 cases were produced of this flowery, tar, camphor, incense, blackberry, black currant, espresso and chocolate-scented beauty. A blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, a whopping 22% Cabernet Franc and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot, this full-bodied, opulent 2003 is just entering its plateau of full maturity. It is better at age ten than it was early in life from cask and post-bottling. Wine Advocate
2021 Peter Michael Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis Oakville Napa
Price: $292.50 Your Price: $257.40
(98+ points) "The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis is blended with 9% Cabernet Franc and 3% Merlot, and its aromas unfold over several minutes in the glass. Blueberry liqueur and a well of cassis give way to bresaola, grilled meats, bitter chocolate, leather, thyme and sage before a singular crescendo of pure violet perfume. The palate offers a seamless structure defined by smooth, velvety tannins and freshness that highlights its floral top notes; highly concentrated, detailed fruit; herbal, savory and mineral flavors; and fantastic length. Its ripeness is expertly restrained, and this world-class Cabernet, poised for a slow arc of maturation, is a great candidate for the cellar. Drink: 2030-2050 (2/29/24)" Erin Brooks (Wine Advocate)
2020 Peter Michael Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis Oakville
Price: $285.00 Your Price: $250.80 Quantity in Stock: 8
96% Cabernet Sauvignon | 1%Cabernet Franc| 3% Merlot
Barrel aged 18 months in 100% French oak; unfined, unfiltered
Au Paradis is our estate grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from the Oakville vineyard that we purchased in 2009. The wine itself is at least 75% Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance being Cabernet Franc. The red Aiken series soil of this vineyard site produces a meaty expression of these varietals. The name translates to “in heaven” and recalls a magical moment at a Michael Family campout on a hilltop in our vineyards. They awoke to discover a sea of fog below them and a bright new day above. The youngest grandson, then about six, asked, “Are we in heaven?” Planted in the foothills on the east side of the valley on a raised, gently sloping plateau, the Bordeaux varietals develop into a classic style with silky tannins and deep red fruit. Between 500 and 600 feet, 26 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot look down on the valley and across to the Mayacamas Mountains. The slope and hillside location provide ideal sun exposure during the day and help develop the lush, intense fruit one would expect from such a magnificent property
2019 Peter Michael Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis Oakville
Price: $270.00 Sale Price: $199.00 Quantity in Stock: 22
76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc Aged 18 months in 100% French oak barrels from selected artisan coopers
Winery Notes The 2019 ‘Au Paradis’ appears near-black to ruby in color with perfumed aromas of red rose and distinct black currant and cassis. Equally, the flavor delivers dark fruit reminiscent of plum and crème de cassis aside bright and savory notes of raspberry, rose petal, and graphite. Well-rounded on the palate, showing refinement with complexity and the hallmark aromas and flavors characteristic of the acclaimed iron-rich, red dirt soils of Oakville. Approachable now, the wine will reward five years of cellaring and will continue to age gracefully for two decades or more.
2018 Peter Michael Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis Oakville
Price: $247.00 Your Price: $217.36 Quantity in Stock: 21
VINTAGE NOTES: The winter of 2017 and 2018 marked a return to normal cool temperatures in California. The rains were abundant in February, then diminished by April, when budbreak occurred the first week. During the bloom, the vines flowered uniformly during the second week of June for our Cabernet Sauvignon. Fortunately, there was only one heat wave, lasting a mere couple of days at the end of June, during the end of the bloom. The growing season happened under excellent weather conditions: very dry with mild temperatures between 80º and 90ºF. For the county of Napa Valley, this is a trouble-free vintage characterized by mild weather with a long, unseasonably warm autumn. Veraison occurred during the first and second weeks of August. Harvest dates were from October 12 to 17, with a daily picking schedule. It was a very intense harvest because the dry weather made the de-leafing required in the vineyard especially extensive. On the other hand, the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes benefited from warm days and cool nights. The yields of 2 tons per acre were low except for the new plantation, blocks 10 and 11. We faced some difficult decisions to pick fully ripe without excessive sugar content (which is rare) in each block. The acidity level was low, with almost no malic acid left at the harvest date. This vintage has both high quantity and high quality of tannins. It is a strong and safe vintage for collectors and connoisseurs.
WINEGROWING NOTES: Located in the heart of the Oakville AVA’s famed red dirt in Napa Valley, ‘Au Paradis’ is exactly where its name translates, “In Heaven.” Planted in the foothills on the east side of the valley on a raised, gently sloping plateau, the Bordeaux varietals develop into a classic style with silky tannins and deep red fruit. Between 500 and 600 feet, 26 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot look down on the valley and across to the Mayacamas Mountains. The slope and hillside location provide ideal sun exposure during the day and help develop the lush, intense fruit one would expect from such a magnificent property.
WINEMAKER'S TASTING NOTES: The 2018 ‘Au Paradis’ appears near-black to ruby in color with perfumed aromas of red rose and distinct black currant and cassis. Equally, the flavor delivers dark fruit reminiscent of plum and crème de cassis aside bright and savory notes of raspberry, rose petal, and graphite. Well-rounded on the palate, showing refinement with complexity and the hallmark aromas and flavors characteristic of the acclaimed iron-rich, red dirt soils of Oakville. Approachable now, the wine will reward five years of cellaring and will continue to age gracefully for two decades or more.
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