Ma d'Anzouz is striking in its red ruby and light chestnut colour. It has a delicate bouquet of roses, raspberries, cherries, strawberries, forest floor and violets. The 2013 Ma d'Anzouz is aromatic, delicate and smooth. It has a great concentration of red fruit on the palate, with hints of rosebuds, subtle Asian spices, hazelnuts, minerals and pheasant feathers. It has a silky mouthfeel and a long finish. It can be aged for 20 years. The 2013 vintage, like 2012, began with a warm and dry spring. Flowering began in ideal conditions, but fruit set was low. Canopy management was slow and careful, with no drip clusters and yields controlled by plot and by branch. The veraison period was stable from the time of veraison to harvest, and the long Indian summer made for a very good vintage. The difference in temperature between day and night extended the growing season, allowing the grapes to ripen evenly throughout. In 2012, the weather was dry throughout the growing season and there were few heat waves, which resulted in a rich, concentrated Pinot Noir. Detailed information Vineyard: Sonoma Coast AVA, Seaview Vineyard, facing east to northeast Planted: 2006-2007 Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir Elevation: 305-460m Soil: Mixture of rocky sedimentary soil, decomposed volcanic soil, and argillaceous soil Harvested: 3 September 2013-10 September 2013 Aged: 16 months in French oak barrels (50% new) from selected barrel makers Bottled: 12 February 2015, unfined and unfiltered Alcohol content: 14.4% It goes without saying that Peter Michael Winery's wines are now known 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 company philosophy established at the time of the company's founding remains unchanged and remains the pillar of the company's activities. In 1983, after seven years of research in search of a vineyard and a place for his family to relax, 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 when 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 fell in love with the land at first sight. The winery's motto was quite simple: to make wine using the best grapes, carefully selected barrels, and traditional winemaking techniques, just like French wine. This was not to make California wines imitating French wines, but to overturn the prejudice against France that is still seen among consumers today. The goal was to hope that in the future, many wines of world-class quality would be produced in California, and some of them would be made by Peter Michael Winery. Over the next few years, Bordeaux vineyards were expanded in the lower, warmer parts of the site, and Chardonnay vineyards were cultivated in the cooler areas at higher altitudes. Taking advantage of the unique conditions of the site, each block was designed and cultivated with a complex soil puzzle. The varieties, rootstocks, ridge orientation, density, and drainage of each section were determined based on the soil, microclimate, topography, and sun conditions. In addition to the vineyards, the Michael family advocates long-term conservation of the site, restoring natural habitats by planting indigenous plants. Peter Michael Winery's winemakers who have made their mark on the wine industry include Helen Turley, Marc Aubert, Vanessa Wong, Luc Mollet and current winemaker Nicolas Mollet. Throughout, the winery has maintained Sir Peter's beliefs of "mountain vineyards, traditional winemaking methods and small batch production". In keeping with Sir Peter's "100 by 100 plan" - to be 100% family-run for at least 100 years - the winery is now being passed on to the next generation, with his son Paul taking over.
Michael and his wife Emily have gradually taken on more responsibility for the strategic direction of the winery. In 1998, the family purchased 400 acres in the True Sonoma Coast (now Fort Ross-Seaview AVA). The site is an amazing combination of coastal and mountain characteristics. The climate is fairly cool throughout the growing season, but the higher elevations, free from fog, receive 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 ranked #1 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."