Wine and Spirits

Item Description

2014 Peter Michael "Mon Plaisir" Knights Valley Chardonnay. 98 points James Suckling Aromas of dried apple, pear, pineapple and hints of stone. Hints of lightly toasted oak. Full body, layered and rich with lots of fruit and intensity. Savory and intense. A white wine with red wine texture. Always top. (5/2017) 95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2014 Chardonnay Mon Plaisir shows more Meursault-like smokiness, roasted hazelnuts, with hints of citrus oil, poached pear, tropical pineapple and brioche. It is a big, hefty Chardonnay to drink over the next decade. (RP) (10/2016) 92 points Vinous Peter Michael’s 2014 Chardonnay Mon Plaisir wraps around the palate with gorgeous depth and textural richness, two of its principal signatures. Candied lemon, succulent apricot and spice notes meld into the creamy, voluptuous finish. This south/south-east facing site at 1,600 feet planted with old Wente clone Chardonnay yields distinctly ample wines. 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) (4/2016) Mon Plaisir is the original Peter Michael bottling, produced in every vintage since 1987. With a silky mouth feel, red lemon custard nose, and subtle brioche accents, this wine is the most lush of our four single vineyard Chardonnays. Paul Michael remembers sitting on the porch with his parents as a teenager, while the family deliberated over the name for this wine. The resulting decision is an exactly-right reflection of the great pleasure we find in drinking it.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 Mon Plaisir is chosen from a specific parcel of our mountainside estate vineyards in Knights Valley planted entirely to the Old Wente clone. The vineyard is a perfect combination of full sun exposure and abundant cooling marine influences. This produces low yields and enhances the extracted perfume that makes Mon Plaisir a pure classic style. Long, natural alcoholic and malolactic fermentations further develop this intense and complex bouquet while adding ample “gras” and a round mouthfeel. WINEMAKER’S TASTING NOTES The wine is intense and perfumed, exhibiting an exquisite bouquet of lemon cream, fresh butter, grapefruit and a flint-like minerality, with subtle notes of spring flowers. The palate is rich, full-bodied and creamy with beautiful hints of fresh lemon, pear, greengage, Mirabelle plum, mangosteen and brioche. A mineral character with hints of pain grillé and almond complete the mouthfeel of this wine and its long finish. True to its name, the 2014 Mon Plaisir is indeed a pleasure. Enjoyable now, it will age for a decade or more.