Community Tasting Note

• edwilley3 Likes this wine: 92 points

  April 20, 2014 - First Morlet of the 2012 vintage and first bottle of Ma Princesse I've sampled. I came away somewhat confused. Based on the provenance, I expected a more full bodied chard and, based on the 2012 Peter Michael La Carriere, something fatter and richer. This is comparatively lean and crisp, although people not accustomed to bigger scale California chards may still find it pretty forward and oaked. After an hour and change in the decanter it was frankly still zesty. I found myself wondering why Morlet didn't continue the malolactic fermentation to bring down the acid. This is a less full chardonnay experience than I've had with the lower level Ma Douce chard (previous vintage). After over 8 hours it had softened a bit, which was most welcome. However, it lacks the perfume, richness, and complexity I would expect from the man who made so many terrific vintages of chardonnay at Peter Michael; this Ma Princesse just didn't get beyond pretty, light tropical notes and a gentle lemon creaminess. I don't know this for certain, but if I'm honest, I think that Morlet was trying for something different here than I expected based on provenance. Give me the 2012 Peter Michael chards in the same price range (about $100), please. The 2012 La Carriere which I've had twice recently was just terrific.

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