97 Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Chardonnay La Carrière 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.
97 James Suckling
Intense aromas of sliced cooked apples, limes and hints of coconut. Full-bodied, creamy and very dense, yet extremely fresh and vivid. Crunchy acidity. Lovely texture. Exciting. Drink or hold. (2/14/20)
94-96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A barrel sample (mainly from the Hyde clone), the 2017 Chardonnay la Carriere has a drop-dead gorgeous nose of dried apricots, warm pineapple, guava and pear tart with hints of candied ginger, honeycomb and orange blossoms. The palate is medium to full-bodied, rich and creamy with great freshness and some mineral accents coming through on the long finish. (Oct 2018)
94 Vinous
Peter Michael's 2017 Chardonnay La Carrière is laced with a super-intriguing mix of orchard fruit, lemon peel, slate, mint and crushed rocks. Bright and intensely saline, La Carrière is super-expressive in 2017, not to mention incredibly delicious. La Carrière is perhaps disadvantaged a bit by being served in a flight of Chardonnays, but it is compelling just the same. Although none of the Peter Michael wines is inexpensive, La Carrière is arguably the best relative value in the range. Drink: 2020-2029. (May 2019)
ABOUT PETER MICHAEL WINERY:
In 1982, after a six year search, Sir Peter Michael Winery and Lady Michael purchased 630 acres of volcanic ridges on the western face of Mount St. Helena in Knights Valley. Drawing inspiration from the great wineries of Burgundy and Bordeaux, the family hired like-minded viticulturists and winemakers to help them create terroir-driven wines that would stand the test of time. Peter Michael Winery Winery produces 15 different bottlings: 3 Cabernet blends, 4 Pinot Noirs, 2 blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, and 6 Chardonnays. With the exception of our two barrel selection Chardonnays, all of these wines are vineyard specific.
Under the direction of vineyard manager Javier Aviña, the estate vineyards are farmed by hand in a low-impact, sustainable manner, relying heavily on organic techniques that include some biodynamic practices. Cover crops control erosion, feed the soil and provide a habitat for beneficial insects; eliminating the need for chemical pesticides. Tilling, spraying and mowing are accomplished with tractors. All other operations are done entirely by hand. These include: pruning, suckering, shoot positioning, hedging, crop thinning and harvest. All harvesting is done into 20-pound fruit lugs to insure that the fruit arrives at the winery in pristine condition.
