2007 La Proportion Doree

One of the most profound blends of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and in this case, 2% Muscadelle, is the 2007 La Proportion Doree (64% Semillon, 34% Sauvignon Blanc, and 2% Muscadelle). An extraordinary nose of waxy, honeyed grapefruit, melons, figs, and quince is superb. In the mouth, a liqueur of rocks intermixed with quinine, quince, and waxy notes continues to cascade over the palate. This is a sensational, dry, incredibly complex wine that shows the potential that blends such as this can achieve. Drink it over the next 4-5 years. I’ll keep my tasting notes relatively short since the production of most of these wines is small. The Chardonnay production for the Ma Douce and Ma Princesse is 200-360 cases, but the Coup de Coeur is only three barrels, or 75 cases. The Pinot Noirs are all four barrels, or 100 cases, so notes are limited, but there are 480 cases of the absolutely sensational La Proportion Doree and just under 200 cases of each of the Cabernet Sauvignons. These are all the projects of well-known Luc Morlet, whose brother is the principal winemaker at Peter Michael after replacing Luc himself, who now has a consulting firm, in addition to this project under his own family name. Not surprisingly, Luc Morlet’s Chardonnays all emerge from old Wente clones and have a style not terribly different from what one might expect from Peter Michael. His motto at the winery is, “Quality without compromise,” and one sees that throughout these personality-filled wines. Tel. (707) 967-8690; Fax (707) 967-8590