"AuParadis" means "in heaven" in French. This comes from the fact that this field is located in the center of Oakville AVA in Napa Valley, which is characterized by red volcanic soil called "Red Dirt". This field is very sunny and is located at an altitude of 152-183m, on a gentle plateau slope at the foot of the Vaca Mountains in the eastern part of Napa Valley. From here, you can look down on the entire Napa Valley and the Mayacamas Mountains in the distance. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot are harvested from the approximately 6 hectares of the field, and the wine is a luxurious wine with smooth tannins and rich red fruits in a classic style that is worthy of the name of Oakville. "AuParadis" means "in heaven" in French. This comes from the fact that this field is located in the center of Oakville AVA in Napa Valley, which is characterized by red volcanic soil called "Red Dirt". This sunny vineyard is located at an elevation of 152-183m on a gentle slope at the foot of the Vaca Mountains in the eastern part of Napa Valley. From here you can look down on the entire Napa Valley and the Mayacamas Mountains in the distance. The vineyard produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, which produce luxurious wines with smooth tannins and rich red fruits in a classic style that lives up to the name of Oakville. "AuParadis" means "in heaven" in French. This comes from the fact that this vineyard is located in the center of the prime location of Oakville AVA in Napa Valley, which is characterized by red volcanic soil called "Red Dirt". This sunny vineyard is located at an elevation of 152-183m on a gentle slope at the foot of the Vaca Mountains in the eastern part of Napa Valley. From here you can look down on the entire Napa Valley, with the Mayacamas Mountains in the distance. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot are harvested from the approximately 6 hectares of vineyards, and they produce luxurious wines with smooth tannins and rich red fruit in a classic style that lives up to the name of Oakville. It goes without saying that Peter Michael Winery's wines are now known to the world as a success story of California wine. Since the release of Mon Plaisir Chardonnay in 1987, we have been receiving constant inquiries, and even now, nearly 20 years later, we are still selling limited quantities. This is because the corporate philosophy established at the time of our founding remains unchanged and is still the pillar of our activities. In 1983, after seven years of research into a vineyard and a place for his family to retreat, founder Sir Peter Michael purchased 630 acres (252 ha) of volcanic soil at the western foot of Mount St. Helena in Knights Valley, Sonoma, California. This was the moment that Sir Peter Michael's dream of running his own winery in the future, which he had harbored since he was a young man and his father, who lived in France at the time, took him to visit chateaux and winemakers in various European countries, came true. As the founder of Quantel*, he had visited Northern California many times with an entrepreneurial spirit, and he fell in love with the land at first sight. The winery's motto was quite simple: to make wine like French wine, using the best grapes, carefully selected barrels, and traditional winemaking techniques. This was not to make California wine by imitating French wine, but to overturn the prejudice against French wine that is still seen today among general consumers. The goal was to have a large number of world-class wines produced in California in the future, some of which would be produced at Peter Michael Winery. Over the next few years, the Bordeaux vineyards were expanded in the lower, warmer parts of the property, and the Chardonnay vineyards were cultivated in the cooler parts of the property at higher altitudes. Taking advantage of the unique conditions of the property, each block was designed and cultivated with a complex soil puzzle. The soil, microclimate, topography, and exposure conditions determine the variety, rootstock, row orientation, density, and drainage of every section. In addition to the vineyards, the Michael family has advocated long-term conservation of the property, restoring natural habitats by planting indigenous plants. Peter Michael Winery winemakers who have made a name for themselves in the wine industry include Helen Turley, Marc Aubert, Venessa Wong, Luc Mollet, and current winemaker Nicolas Mollet. Throughout these years, the winery has inherited Sir Peter's beliefs of "mountain vineyards, traditional winemaking methods, small batch production." In addition, based on Sir Peter's "100by100 plan" - a 100% family-run business that will continue for at least 100 years, the winery is now being handed over to the next generation, and is now run by his son, Paul.
Michael and his wife Emily have increasingly taken on the responsibility of providing strategic direction for the winery. In 1998, the family purchased 400 acres in the True Sonoma Coast (now Fort Ross-Seaview AVA). The land is an amazing combination of coastal and mountain characteristics. It has a fairly cool climate throughout the growing season, but the higher elevations, free from fog, get enough sunshine to fully ripen the grapes. This land was planted with Pinot Noir in 2006 and 2007. In 2009, they purchased 41 acres in the mountains east of the Oakville appellation overlooking Napa Valley, 26 of which are planted with Bordeaux varieties. The vineyard was named "Au Paradis" and the 2012 vintage of this wine was named #1 wine in WineSpectator's Top 100 just two years after its debut. Peter Michael Winery's wines have been recognized by leading wine critics such as Robert Parker, who said, "If I were a French winemaker living in Bordeaux or Burgundy, I would have to pay attention to a top California winemaker like Peter Michael."