I wouldn’t be surprised if your Peter Michael Point Rouge suggestion is correct. It is quite limited — it is a reserve blend of the best lots from their various vineyards — and priced accordingly.
If you weren’t looking for the most expensive single bottle, but rather expensive line up of CA Chardonnay, I’d suspect that is Aubert. (Much preferred to Peter Michael IMO too).
The Eyrie Vineyards releases library wines from time to time. Currently available on the Eyrie website is the 1987 South Block Pinot Noir for $500. I have seen the older Eyrie bottles available at trusted retailers as well.
Beaux Freres has a stash of library wines available at the winery. I haven’t been in 4-5 years, but the older vintages were current market price plus $10 for each added year.
Demand. It doesn’t have the cachet of the top Burgundy producers. Probably for good reason, but you have to be pretty silly to be paying $200 for any domestic Chardonnay.
Your logic is solid, but I would guess that you can find equivalent quality in CA/OR Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to the most expensive bottlings from a good number of producers in those areas, and at least for Oregon possibly better depending upon your palate.
Also, there was an Oregon wine released at $300/btl released in Oregon at one point. I can’t remember which project it was but Mark Tarlov was connected.
For expensive Chardonnay in Oregon look to 00 winery (double aught). They are around $125-150, and good wines.
This…except for the good reason part. Top Willamette Valley Chardonnay can hold it’s own with France. And the Pinot Noir is closing the gap as well, if you are drinking the right wines.
It’s interesting to me that 30 years ago Robert Drouhin held a second tasting of Pinot Noirs, including some of the greatest vineyards and vintages of Burgundy, and had an Oregon wine, produced from young vines, come in second. He was convinced enough to buy and invest in the region. Yet somehow there is still a routine feeling that the Willamette Valley is just a wanna-be region compared to Burgundy? I don’t get it…
Maybe poor phrasing on my part. I don’t think there’s much doubt that the very best Chardonnay wines are being made in France, but I also am convinced that there are outstanding wines being made in California and Oregon. My point was really that those people who insist on “the very best” (or just the “very best name”) aren’t shy about spending to buy what are often very limited and allocated wines, thus the exponential price variation between the top French and top American wines.