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SKU 852074
$109.94/bottle
Out of stock
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La Carriere is situated at an elevation of around 1,200-1,700 feet with a rocky, shallow, volcanic soil that gives low fertility and is among the lowest yields of all the Peter Michael vineyards. The vineyard is planted to Dijon and Hyde (Old Wente) clone selections. A tank sample due to be bottled in the next day or so, the 2019 Chardonnay la Carriere reveals delicate scents of fresh green apples, white peaches and preserved lemons with hints of chalk dust, orange blossoms and coriander seed. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers a satiny texture with bags of freshness lifting the mineral-tinged citrus flavors to a long finish. 2,836 cases were made.
Of all the white wine grape varietals, surely the one that has spread the furthest and is most widely appreciated is Chardonnay. This green-skinned grape is now grown all over the Old and New Worlds, from New Zealand to the Americas, from England to Chile, and is one of the first varietals people think of when considering white wine grapes. Perhaps this is because of its huge popularity, which reached a peak in the 1990s, thanks to new technologies combining with traditional methods to bring the very best features out of the Chardonnay grape and allow its unique qualities to shine through. Most fine Chardonnay wines use a process known as malolactic fermentation, wherein the malic acids in the grape juice are converted to lactic acids, allowing a creamier, buttery nature to come forward in the wine. No grape varietal is better suited to this process than Chardonnay, which manages to balance these silky, creamy notes with fresh white fruit flavors beautifully.
Country
United States
Of all the New World wine countries, perhaps the one which has demonstrated the most flair for producing high quality wines - using a combination of traditional and forward-thinking contemporary methods - has been the United States of America. For the past couple of centuries, the United States has set about transforming much of its suitable land into vast vineyards, capable of supporting a wide variety of world-class grape varietals which thrive on both the Atlantic and the Pacific coastlines. Of course, we immediately think of sun-drenched California in regards to American wines, with its enormous vineyards responsible for the New World's finest examples of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot based wines, but many other states have taken to viticulture in a big way, with impressive results. Oregon, Washington State and New York have all developed sophisticated and technologically advanced wine cultures of their own, and the output of U.S wineries is increasing each year as more and more people are converted to their produce.
Region
California
California as a wine producing region has grown in size and importance considerably over the past couple of centuries, and today is the proud producer of more than ninety percent of the United States' wines. Indeed, if California was a country, it would be the fourth largest producer of wine in the world, with a vast range of vineyards covering almost half a million acres. The secret to California's success as a wine region has a lot to do with the high quality of its soils, and the fact that it has an extensive Pacific coastline which perfectly tempers the blazing sunshine it experiences all year round. The winds coming off the ocean cool the vines, and the natural valleys and mountainsides which make up most of the state's wine regions make for ideal areas in which to cultivate a variety of high quality grapes.
Appellation
Sonoma Valley
California's beautiful and remarkably fertile Sonoma Valley has grown over the decades to become one of the United States' most respected and profitable wine regions, with wineries within the region benefiting from the superb Californian sunshine, low rainfall and wonderfully rich soils. Because of this vital combination of excellent conditions, the region is able to grow a wide range of grape varietals for use in the production of an impressive array of wines, with many different red and white wine grapes flourishing each year and producing excellent and characterful results. The soils have been enriched by volcanic activity, and the presence of geothermal springs, which make this region a unique one, and very much the beating heart of California's ever growing wine industry.
WA97pts
Wine Advocate
La Carriere is situated at an elevation of around 1,200-1,700 feet with a rocky, shallow, volcanic soil that gives low fertility and is among the lowest yields of all the Peter Michael vineyards. The vineyard is planted to Dijon and Hyde (Old Wente) clone selections. A tank sample due to be bottled in the next day or so, the 2019 Chardonnay la Carriere reveals delicate scents of fresh green apples, white peaches and preserved lemons with hints of chalk dust, orange blossoms and coriander seed. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers a satiny texture with bags of freshness lifting the mineral-tinged citrus flavors to a long finish. 2,836 cases were made.
JS97pts
James Suckling
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. Drink or hold.
JD96pts
Jeb Dunnuck
Those looking for more minerality and precision, yet still with serious richness, should check out the 2019 Chardonnay La Carriere. As with all the Chardonnays here, it's from the Knights Valley estate and has wonderful stone and apple fruits as well honeyed minerality, almond paste, and grilled bread aromas and flavors. One of the more inward, tight, and structured Chardonnay in the vintage, give bottles another year or so and enjoy over the following 7-8.
VM95pts
Vinous Media
The 2019 Chardonnay La Carrière is a wine of tremendous density and power. Crushed rocks, slate, smoke, lemon peel and dried herbs form a complex fabric of aromas, flavors and textures as the 2019 opens in the glass. The 2019 is one of the most vibrant, focused La Carriere I can remember tasting.
