Peter Michael: Introducing the Range

Englishman Sir Peter Michael founded his eponymous estate in the early 1980s, high above the northern end of Napa Valley, in Knights Valley. It is from these vineyards that the winery continues to produce its flagship Cabernet Sauvignon, Les Pavots. This is always a svelte, focused wine showing Napa authority allied to Sonoma charm.

For a more classic expression of Napa, look no further than the generous Au Paradis, from the family's Oakville estate. The family's Pinot Noir wines, meanwhile, come from Fort Ross/Seaview, in coastal Sonoma. The Caprice vineyard is a cool site just inland from the Pacific; Ma Danseuse a little warmer, producing a richer style of wine.

Among the whites, both the Belle Côte and Carrière Chardonnays are from the Knights Valley ranch; the former a little richer, with Carrière offering a touch more restraint. Peter Michael remains a stalwart producer of the north coast; a reliable source of classic Californian styles for fair prices. If you are unfamiliar with the wines, consider this your invitation to try. In particular, look out for those wines we stock with a few years' bottle age.