Peter Michael Winery
In 1982 Sir Peter Michael established the Peter Michael winery on a square mile of rocky volcanic ridges that form the western face of Mount St. Helena in Sonoma County. From the beginning, the wine growing philosophy was modeled on the French tradition infused with a few modern influences: One, the vineyard terroir would be the single most important feature. Two, the wines would be elegant rather than overstated. Three, there would be a hundred-year commitment to the development of a great estate. Given this commitment to the product, only a limited quantity will ever be made.
Under the direction of winemaker Nicolas Morlet, all Peter Michael wines are made using a non-interventionist, neo-classical approach. This relies on traditional, hands-on winemaking methods blended with the best of modern technology. With few exceptions, the wines are not fined or filtered. Peter Michael Winery currently produces 14 different bottlings: 6 Chardonnays, 4 Pinot Noirs, 2 wines from white Bordeaux varietals, and 2 wines from red Bordeaux varietals. With the exception of our two barrel selection Chardonnays all of these wines are vineyard specific. Our goal is to present a true reflection of the vineyard terroir in the glass. The differences between the wines are achieved by allowing the vineyard’s character to show through, not by winemaking contrivance. Above all, the wines remain true to our founding credo: “Mountain Vineyards, Classical Winemaking, Limited Production.”.
