2013 Peter Michael Mon Plaisir Chardonnay – Worth $6?
Why would I ask if a Peter Michael Mon Plaisir Chardonnay is worth $6? Fairly simple, but admittedly I have to backtrack a bit. It starts with golf, yes that insane sport/activity/headache that many of us attempt and continue to repeat.
Playing a typical betting game in golf called a Nassau, which is actually three bets, one on the front 9 and one on the back 9 and then the overall. Often golfer’s call it “nausea” due to the sickening feeling one gets when knowing no matter how well one does, he is destined to lose. Now the bet can be any amount from a dollar to hundreds of dollars. So for example if you had a simple two dollar Nassau, you would adjust the handicap with one player receiving strokes (called pops) or simple play even. If you won the front by two and lost the back by three you would have won one, lost one and then lost the overall by one. So you would owe $2. And it goes up from there depending on the value of the Nassau.
So without mentioning any names, but a friend and I have a standing $2 Nassau twice a week. Strokes are adjusting (with me giving him between 3 to 6 strokes). So thus a whopping $6 dollars twice a week is at stake. While this is a wager among two friends, the intensity and needling is the same as a thousand dollar Nassau! Truth be told he has been the receiver of more of my money, than I of his over the last few months. Now on to the wine……
So this last Friday, I surprised both my friend and frankly myself, and pulled off wining the Nassau. At the course we play, during the winter a 10 am shotgun is the order. We started near our house, so thus we finish near the house. With the win of three ways, which had not happened in months, I was ecstatic with excitement and joy to win the $6. I invited my opponent/friend and his wife to join us for a glass of wine. He is a wine collector and enjoys wines and often has keen insight into the aromas, flavors and understanding the nuances of wine.
So I opened this age worthy 2013 Peter Michael Chardonnay Mon Plaisir which came up on my “To Drink in 2021 List”. It was served with appropriates cheese, crackers and even candied pecans, along with chicken wings with a delicious sauce. The wine which means “pleasure”, is truly that with creaminess and aromas. It is one of the fullest body Chardonnay you can experience. On the eyes golden in color and viscosity of a “milk shake”! On the nose soft and sweet lemon, pear and honeysuckle. On the palate, vanilla and brioche are the two predominant features. On the finish perhaps a little green apple, but oh my long and enticing the finish.
While not discussing any price of the wine nor the quality of such a treat, we all enjoyed the wine and conversed about each other’s “trials and tribulations” over the preceding four hours much to the dismay of the wives. We enjoyed the one hour following the round and went about our merry way.
I sent a quick note to my friend last night with the rating of this wine by Robert Parker of 97 and others of this wine. Also a clip that K & L Wines had this for sale for $130 and JJ Buckley had it for $145. Many fine wine shops in “wine country” show it for up to $190/bottle.
So in the end to answer the question was the Peter Michael worth $6? The answer is yes on many levels. One because it was a great wine to “quietly celebrate” my win, but also because a friend who you needle and cajole with for over eight hours a week in golf, is essentially priceless. And you now have bragging rights until the next match.
The conclusion this morning is that my competitor and good friend, states “you should have opened the screw top wine” plonk that he brought over two nights before that we did not drink…….the needling never ceases, nor would I want it to.
Sláinte
Michael
California Wines & Wineries 