2017 Peter Michael 'Ma Belle-Fille' Chardonnay

The 2017 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille comes bounding out of the glass with all the joy and energy of a new puppy, featuring pronounced notes of apricot tart, honey toast, ginger snaps and lemon curd over a core of warm pears, apple pie and allspice, plus a hint of beeswax. Full-bodied, the palate is beautifully creamy and opulent with loads of spicy accents supporting the stone fruit layers, finishing with great freshness and minerality.

Clean, vibrant, full-bodied notes of white flowers, honeyed citrus, and crushed rocks emerge from the 2017 Chardonnay Ma Belle-Fille, but it's another tight, racy, backward wine that needs bottle age. With the incredible purity of fruit as well as the bright acidity that's the hallmark of this vintage, it has a great mid-palate, no hard edges, and a brilliant finish. There's a Chevalier-Montrachet-like purity and minerality here, and again, it needs 2-3 years in a cool cellar but is brilliant all the way.