Peter Michael La Carriere Chardonnay 2024 (750ML)

La Carrière means “the quarry,” and the name fits: this 18-acre amphitheater on the western face of Mount St. Helena was planted in 1994 and 1995 in volcanic rhyolitic ash-flow tuff, on slopes past 40% between 1,200 and 1,700 feet. Winemaker Robert Fiore fermented the 100% Chardonnay with native yeasts entirely in French oak, then gave it 12 months on the lees with weekly bâtonnage before bottling it unfiltered on February 6, 2026. Generous winter rain and a clean spring set opened 2024, and a temperate late summer let the fruit ripen slowly and hold its freshness. Citrus zest, tangerine peel, jasmine and white peach lead, edged by a briny, oyster-shell note and a little spice from the barrel. Airy despite its concentration, it should be at its best from 2029, by critics’ reckoning. Oysters, butter-poached lobster or halibut in beurre blanc show it off.