Aromas of Wente clone skin with pears and apples as well as lime and lemon. Some hot stone and chalk. Full-bodied and very layered. It’s captured the essence of this classic chardonnay clone. The wood is very low impact. Like eating perfectly ripened grapes. Superb length on a gorgeous finish, One of the best ever. From 34-year-old vines. Drinkable now but will age for years.

(97+ points) The 2021 Chardonnay Belle Côte is bursting with gregarious scents of candied peaches and apricot, roasted almonds, matchstick, spring honey and glossy yet integrated new oak spices. The palate is silky and bright despite its deep core of ripe, youthfully coiled fruit, and it has a long, flinty finish. It unfolds and changes with time in the glass, and with all that concentration and freshness it's a great candidate for extended cellaring. - Erin Brooks

The 2021 Chardonnay Belle Côte is a wine of tremendous density and power. Orchard fruit, dried pear, graphite, anise and dried flowers infuse the 2021 with tremendous flavor complexity. Readers will find an intensely mineral, savory Chardonnay with the fruit pushed into the background. Belle Côte is the original Chardonnay planting at Peter Michael. -- Antonio Galloni

The 2021 Belle Cote comes from the oldest vines on the property, planted in 1990. It prances out with flamboyant notes of yellow apples, honeydew melon, and juicy peaches, followed by hints of jasmine tea and sea spray. The medium-bodied palate shimmers with energy, delivering a satiny texture and just enough freshness to frame the apple and stone fruit flavors, finishing long and fragrant.

From the oldest Chardonnay vines on the property, planted in 1990, the 2021 Chardonnay Belle-Cote pours a medium yellow and has an expressive perfume of wildflowers, wet stone, and white peach. Full-bodied, this floral profile is just as pronounced and long on the palate, with a soft, silky texture and ripe notes of melon, honeysuckle, and honeyed lemon. Long and attractive, it can be enjoyed 2024-2034. - Audrey Frick