91-93 points Robert Parker: "The 2009 Chardonnay La Carriere (1,900 cases produced) reveals lovely notes of brioche, tropical fruit blossoms, oranges, white currants and lemon butter. Medium-bodied with beautiful fruit, good acidity and a touch of minerality, it should be enjoyed over the next 5-6 years." (02/11) 93 points Wine Spectator Insider: "A much more restrained La Carrière, yet rich, detailed and complex, offering a mix of melon, fig, apricot and hazelnut flavors that are elegant, detailed and persistent on the finish. Drink now through 2016." 93 points from Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Hazy greenish gold. Spicy, leesy, smoky aromas of lemon pith, melon and hazelnut. Velvety and concentrated, with emphatic lemony cut to the flavors of pit fruits and honeydew. Silky and seamless, with excellent finishing clarity and mineral-driven persistence. This elegant wine will be even better in a couple of years." (May/June '11) The south-southeast facing Knights Valley vineyards called La Carrière is the steepest and rockiest of the Peter Michael estate vineyards. This, combined with its shallow, well-draining soils, creates a wine that is floral and mineral, with sweet, honey-tangerine fruit on the nose and palate. Rich, with oak spice and texture (from 100% barrel fermentation and aging sur lies for a year with weekly battonage), this wine is creamy but finesseful, and destined to evolve beautifully over its long life.