Wine and Spirits

Item Description

2014 Peter Michael "Ma Belle-Fille" Knights Valley Chardonnay 98 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2014 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille has essentially the same aromatic and flavor profile as well as huge body and concentration that also characterized the 2015, with oodles of caramelized citrus and honeysuckle in its explosive aromatics and intense flavors. Both are fabulous Chardonnays like their siblings and should be drunk over the next 10-12 years. (RP) (10/2016) 96 points James Suckling Aromas of stone, dried peaches and apples. Hints of minerals. Sicilian lemons. Green tea undertones. Full body yet bright and focused. Fantastic center palate. Condensed and impressive. Very long and flavorful. Drink now or hold. (5/2017) 92 points Vinous The 2014 Chardonnay Ma Belle-Fille is one of the most exuberant wines in this range. Rich, creamy and voluptuous, Ma Belle-Fille emphasizes buttery and honey notes, along with an unctuous expression of Chardonnay. The 2014 Chardonnays are the highlights in this range from Peter Michael and winemaker Nick Morlet. The Chardonnays are rich and sumptuous - in classic Peter Michael style - yet also retain quite a bit of freshness. (AG) (8/2016) 92 points Wine Spectator Just starting to open, this offers a subtle mix of citrus skin, green apple, pear and spice flavors. Sustained by intensity and focus, this promises more ahead. (JL) (7/2016) 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. VINTAGE NOTES The winter was dry with only 70% of normal rainfall, continuing three years of drought. Unseasonably warm temperatures in early spring accelerated bud break by four weeks. The growing season benefited from moderate temperatures. However, early use of drip irrigation was critical for the health of the vines. Only one pass of thinning was required to achieve a balanced crop load. Ideal Indian summer conditions allowed us to calmly harvest each block as it achieved optimal ripeness. Yields were higher than average, but due to dehydration the skins and the pulps of the berries were thicker than normal, resulting in low juice yields at the press, and exceptional concentration in the wines. WINEGROWING NOTES At the highest elevation on the estate, the marine influence on Ma Belle-Fille is greater, resulting in cooler daily temperatures in the summer and autumn months. Situated far above the summer fog ceiling and exposed to the southeast, the vineyard receives the very first rays of sunshine each morning and remains sunny all day long. This full exposure, combined with cooler temperatures, causes the fruit to mature earlier than the rest of our estate. WINEMAKER’S TASTING NOTES Spectacular and intense, the 2014 Ma Belle-Fille boasts aromas of ripe peach, white rose, tangerine blossom, pastry elements such as Napoleon cake, golden apple and nectarine, accented with oyster shell minerality, brioche. Elegant in the mouth, rich and concentrated, the wine displays flavors of William pear, honey, greengage dried almond, mangosteen, dry chamomile, orange rind and notes of baked Reinette apple. In the mouth, the wine is tactile and gourmand with extreme purity. Layered and seductive, the finish is very long. The wine will age gracefully for more than a decade.