Peter Michael winery is located in Knight's Valley, a volcanic soiled region of Sonoma, California. This seems appropriate as Peter Michael is apparently also SIR Peter Michael. His knighthood has nothing to do with wine. He was knighted in 1989 for the prosperity rendered by his ventures in technology--including digital effects for the film and television industry and PAINTBOX. He is an engineer by trade and also the founder of Classic FM, the UK's first national commercial radio station. If you know my husband, apparently engineering, radio stations and wine loving actually go hand in hand!
Sir Peter and Lady Michael searched for six years to find this property to love and grow grapes on. Both were interested in farming(she owns a thousand acres in Berkshire growing cereals and beef) , and this venture is the only one that bears their family name. And it is a family affair, with their son and daughter in law participating in the viniculture. They started their venture in 1982 and produced their first wines in 1987. They state they are committed to "vineyard terroir," wines in the French tradition that are elegant, not overstated and thirdly, a 'hundred year" commitment to the estate which leads to a limited production.
Currently, they produce 6 chardonnays, 4 pinot noirs, 2 red and 2 white Bordeaux varietals.
L'Apres Midi is a predominantly Sauvignon Blanc with a "touch of Semillon." For anyone who is not a Francophile, "l'apres midi" means afternoon and that's when Peter Michael suggests drinking it. It's grown in the Les Pavots vineyard alongside red grapes near Mt. St. Helena. The grapes are hand picked and the whole cluster pressed and then naturally fermented in the barrel.
JUST THE FACTS:
This wine poured a pale yellow.
The bouquet on this wine was very light and consisted predominantly of minerality and a hint of honeysuckle. The winemaker states he also notes spring flowers, hawthorn, lily of the valley, white peach and gooseberry.
The tasting profile is definitely vibrant fruit and I caught vanilla on the finish. Winemaker's notes state almond on the finish as well as fruit and flowers. We noted no grass and herbaceous flavors often found in sauvignon blanc. It's definitely "easy drinking." The finish is long and complex--we agree with the winemaker on that!
The winemaker suggests that this wine can be cellared for up to a decade.
The ratings we have seen on this wine are all about 90 with a top score of 93.
The price varies from $30 to $70 (mostly between $35-45) and we bought it in a restaurant for $82. That's more pricey than most of our wines we drink at home, but we were okay with it for a special occasion.
WINE QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"Age appears to be best in four things: old wood best to burn, old wine best to drink, old friends best to trust and old authors to read."
Francis Bacon
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