Peter Michael Winery Wine at Flickinger Wines

Qty	Wine	Subtotal

0	Order Subtotal	$0.00

Producer

Vint.

Wine

Price

Qty

Order

USA Red

Peter Michael Winery

2014

Au Paradis Cabernet Sauvignon

$159

VM 96 (7/2018): One of the many highlights in this range, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Au Paradis is simply fabulous. Mocha, smoke, espresso, chocolate and racy new oak wrap around a plush core of dark fruit in a Cabernet of arresting beauty and total allure. The 2014 has an explosive energy that balances some of its more flamboyant leanings to great effect. This is a stellar showing from Peter Michael.

2001

L’Esprit des Pavots Proprietary Blend

$99

WA 89 (12/2003): A second wine produced from juice culled from Les Pavots lots is called L’Esprit des Pavots. There are 875 cases of the 2001, a blend of 47% Cabernet Franc, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Merlot. It is no wimpish wine at 15.6% alcohol, but that is not even noticeable in this dark ruby/purple-colored offering. A big bouquet of cocoa, espresso roast, vanilla, chocolate, and ripe black currants as well as cherries is followed by a medium-bodied, supple-textured red that is best consumed over the next 7-8 years.

2014

L’Esprit des Pavots Proprietary Blend

$105

WA 90 (12/2016): The second wine, culled from barrels not considered at the level required of Les Pavots, is the 2014 Proprietary Red L’Esprit des Pavots, which is a relatively large cuvee of 2,120 cases. A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, this wine is silky, lush and approachable, with low acidity and notes of black olive tapenade intermixed with graphite, blackberry, cassis and smoke. It is full-bodied, plush and best drunk over the next 10-15 years.

2014

L’Esprit des Pavots Proprietary Blend

$99

2015

L’Esprit des Pavots Proprietary Blend

$99

JD 94 (6/2018): From younger vines and what could be considered the entry-level Bordeaux blend of the estate, the 2015 L'Esprit des Pavots is still a gorgeous, gorgeous wine. Blackcurrants, black cherries, tobacco leaf, and cedar wood characteristics, full-bodied richness, seamless, elegant, silky tannin, no hard edges, and a blockbuster finish make for a wine that's better than most top wines. Located north of Napa Valley, in the Knights Valley AVA of Sonoma, Peter Michael utilizes the incredible talent of Frenchman Nicolas Morlet (whose brother Luc runs Morlet Estate in Napa, and was previously the winemaker at Peter Michael). These classic, traditionally made wines certainly have an old world feel/style, yet never lose their California soul. They produce two brilliant Bordeaux Blanc look-alikes, a bevy of Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, and three Bordeaux blends. It can be a complex lineup to wrap your head around, but the cuvees show singular characters and the quality is off the charts.

2022

Le Moulin Rouge Pinot Noir

$120

WA 94-96 (2/2024): I tasted the 2022 Pinot Noir Le Moulin Rouge from barrel shortly before it was due to be bottled. From the Santa Lucia Highlands, it's powerful and expressive and offers darker fruit character than the other Pinot Noirs in the Peter Michael portfolio. Initial black cherry, iron and graphite give way to finer nuances of violet, blood orange, aniseed, sage and lavender as it spends time in the glass. The medium-bodied palate features spicy, mineral-laced fruit. It has a frame of superfine, dusty tannins and focused acidity, and the long finish has a flourish of spicy accents.

2010

Ma Danseuse Pinot Noir

$350

WA 100 (12/2013): Ruby-red. Explosively perfumed aromas of red and dark berries, potpourri and musky underbrush. Penetrating and bright on the palate, offering sweet but sharply focused raspberry and bitter cherry flavors and an exotic floral pastille quality. A suave, silky midweight that shows Outstanding sweetness and precision on the long finish. Morlet describes this wine as "more intellectual than the Le Caprice."

WS 93 (8/2012): Stylish and elegant, with a sophisticated mix of plum, raspberry, spice and savory herb flavors. Very complete, delicate and balanced, with a long, soothing finish. Drink now through 2022. 940 cases made.

VM 92 (5/2012): Ruby-red. Explosively perfumed aromas of red and dark berries, potpourri and musky underbrush. Penetrating and bright on the palate, offering sweet but sharply focused raspberry and bitter cherry flavors and an exotic floral pastille quality. A suave, silky midweight that shows Outstanding sweetness and precision on the long finish. Morlet describes this wine as "more intellectual than the Le Caprice."

USA White

Peter Michael Winery

2016

Belle Cote Chardonnay

Very Lightly Bin-Soiled Label

$129

JD 96 (6/2018): From vines planted in 1990, the 2016 Chardonnay Belle- Côte is a field selection that includes six different clones (all imported from Burgundy). It has a very classic, Burgundian style in its caramelized citrus, toasted bread, marzipan, and spice-driven aromas and flavors. This beauty offers more and more clean minerality and oyster shell characteristics with time in the glass, is incredibly pure and finesse-oriented, and has beautiful depth and richness. It’s a stunner.

2022

Cuvee Indigene Chardonnay (1.5 L)

$375

WA 97-100 (2/2024): I tasted the 2022 Chardonnay Cuvée Indigène from tank as bottling was taking place at Peter Michael Winery. Brown sugar and meringue aromas give way to intense peach cobbler and jasmine underpinned by stony notes. The medium-bodied palate features concentrated, shimmery citrus and spice flavors, and its luxurious, satiny texture drives a hauntingly long finish.

2015

L’Apres Midi Sauvignon Blanc

$49

WA 94 (10/2016): Two terrific whites that Peter Michael should get more recognition for are the Sauvignon Blanc L’Après-Midi and the equal-parts Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon called Coeur à Coeur. The 2015 Sauvignon Blanc L’Apres-Midi, which is 88% Sauvignon Blanc and 12% Semillon is certainly one of California’s most exciting Sauvignons, with a texture of Chardonnay and exotic mango, honeysuckle, ripe melon and wet-rock scented fragrance, medium to full body, and striking precision and vibrancy. This is a terrific wine, as it has been in almost every vintage they have produced. Drink: now-2020.

2016

L’Apres Midi Sauvignon Blanc

$49

JD 93 (6/2018): Bottled and released last year, the 2016 L'Apres-Midi is 86% Sauvignon Blanc and the rest Semillon vinified and aged in almost all neutral barrels. Juicy citrus, white flowers, lemon, honey, and some underbrush, earthy notes all flow to a fresh, lively, yet textured Sauvignon that has beautiful balance and purity. Classic, elegant, and lengthy, it’s going to keep like a great white from the Graves region of Bordeaux.

2011

La Carriere Chardonnay

$59

VM 92 (5/2013): Pale yellow. Deeply pitched aromas of pear, white flowers, anise and smoky minerals. Penetrating and pure, with intense orchard and citrus fruit flavors nicely framed by bright acidity. Nervy and tight in the middle, with a honeyed nuance coming up with air. Shows very good clarity and power on the long, mineral-drenched finish. This chardonnay is carrying 15.2% alcohol but it doesn't show. Stephen Tanzer.

2020

Ma Belle-Fille Chardonnay

$85

WA 97 (2/2023): Matured for 12 months in about 40% new French oak, the 2020 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille gains aromatic intensity as it spends time in the glass, segueing from matchstick, nutmeg and panna cotta to wafts of honey, apricot, lilac and lemon peel. Medium-bodied and ultra silky, it expands in the mouth from bright citrus to more savory, honeyed fruits. It offers generous, juicy acidity and a very long, ethereal finish. Still flaunting a touch of new-oak character, it will benefit from a couple years in bottle or some time in the decanter.

JD 97 (8/2022): The nose of the 2020 Chardonnay Ma Belle-Fille is layered with fresh and citrus tones, with lime blossom, white flowers, and lemon pith. The mouthfeel is stony and has more tension while still having a classic viscous feel.

VM 88 (1/2022): The 2020 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille is marked by bright acids and a lack of overall depth. The signatures of Ma Belle Fille just aren't developed, and that leaves the wine feeling quite aggressive. In 2020, Ma Belle Fille includes lots that would have typically been used for the Point Rouge. Antonio Galloni.

2018

Point Rouge Chardonnay (1.5 L)

$725

WA 100 (2/2021): The 2018 Chardonnay Point Rouge is composed of the best barrels from the entire estate. Floral notes of citron blossoms and honeysuckle leap from the glass, over a core of grapefruit, yuzu and ripe pears with hints of struck match, almond croissant and lime zest. The medium to full-bodied palate has a racy backbone supporting the tightly wound citrus and pear flavors with a lovely creaminess to the texture and a very long finish packed with tension and bursting with fruit. While it is tempting to drink now, it’s going to really impress with another 2-3 years in bottle and drink for a further 15 years+.