Label

Peay

Sonoma CoastUnited States

Peay Vineyards farms one of the most remote and wind-battered corners of the Sonoma Coast, producing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Viognier from a high-elevation estate where the Pacific sets the terms.


History

Peay Vineyards was founded by brothers Andy and Nick Peay, who planted their estate vineyard in the far western reaches of Sonoma County in the late 1990s. The site sits closer to the ocean than almost any other Pinot Noir planting in California, a deliberate choice to chase a cooler, longer growing season. Nick manages the vineyard while Andy handles business operations; winemaking has long been the domain of Vanessa Wong, who joined the project early and whose influence runs deep through the cellar program. The winery has operated at a deliberately small scale, focused almost entirely on estate fruit, with occasional work from select outside vineyards including Savoy in the Anderson Valley and Richardson on the Sonoma Coast.

Vineyards

The Peay estate sits in the extreme western Sonoma Coast, close enough to the Pacific that fog and wind are structural forces rather than occasional visitors. Elevation and marine exposure combine to push ripening later than almost anywhere else in Sonoma, and the coolest blocks can struggle to reach full maturity in difficult vintages. Soils are predominantly Goldridge sandy loam and other well-drained coastal types. The estate is planted to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, and Viognier across multiple blocks, some of which carry distinct names, including Scallop Shelf and Ama, reflecting differences in aspect and soil within the property. Farming follows organic principles, though specific certification details are not confirmed here.

Winemaking

Vanessa Wong works with native yeasts and favors a relatively restrained hand in the cellar, aiming to keep the wines's high natural acidity as a structural backbone rather than something to be softened or corrected. Pinot Noir sees a mix of whole-cluster and destemmed fruit depending on the vintage and block, with aging in French oak at moderate new-oak percentages. Chardonnay is barrel-fermented and aged on lees, again in French oak, with the Maritima bottling generally representing the broadest expression of the estate and the single-vineyard designates offering more precision. The Viognier is among the more serious examples produced in California, dry and aromatic without the excess weight that defines many New World versions. Filtration and fining practices are minimal by California standards. The wines consistently reflect cool-climate restraint: lower alcohol, firm acidity, and a structural profile that rewards patience in the bottle.

Wines

2023 Viognier Estate

7.2

2023 Chardonnay (West Sonoma Coast)

7.5

2023 Chardonnay Maritima

7.6

2023 Pinot Noir (West Sonoma Coast)

7.5

2023 Chardonnay Richardson Vineyard

7.9

2023 Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard

7.9

2023 Pinot Noir Estate Ama

7.9

2023 Pinot Noir Estate Scallop Shelf

8.0

2022 Pinot Noir Peay Vineyard

7.6

2022 Viognier Estate

7.3

2022 Pinot Noir (West Sonoma Coast)

7.5

2022 Pinot Noir Estate Ama

7.8

2022 Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard

7.8

2022 Syrah Estate La Bruma

7.8

2022 Pinot Noir Estate Scallop Shelf

8.0

2022 Chardonnay Maritima

8.0

2022 Syrah Estate Les Titans

8.3

2022 Pinot Noir Estate Pomarium

9.0

2021 Pinot Noir Peay Vineyard

7.7

2021 Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard

7.9

2021 Viognier Estate

7.8

2021 Chardonnay (West Sonoma Coast)

7.9

2021 Pinot Noir (West Sonoma Coast)

8.0

2021 Pinot Noir Estate Pomarium

8.0

2021 Syrah Estate La Bruma

8.0

2021 Chardonnay Estate

8.3

2021 Pinot Noir Estate Ama

8.4

2021 Pinot Noir Estate Elanus

8.6

2021 Pinot Noir Estate Scallop Shelf

8.8

2021 Chardonnay Elanus

9.2

2021 Syrah Estate Les Titans

9.3

2020 Syrah Estate Les Titans

7.6

2019 Pinot Noir Peay Vineyard

8.3

2019 Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast)

7.6

2019 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast)

7.5

2019 Chardonnay Estate

7.8

2019 Viognier Estate

7.9

2019 Pinot Noir Estate Ama

7.7

2019 Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard

8.0

2019 Syrah Estate La Bruma

8.0

2019 Pinot Noir Estate Scallop Shelf

8.0

2019 Pinot Noir Estate Pomarium

8.3

2018 Pinot Noir Peay Vineyard

8.7

2018 Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast)

7.6

2018 Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard

7.5

2018 Viognier Estate

7.5

2018 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast)

7.8

2018 Pinot Noir Estate Scallop Shelf

8.4

2018 Pinot Noir Estate Ama

8.2

2018 Chardonnay Estate

8.2

2018 Pinot Noir Estate Pomarium

8.5

2018 Syrah Estate La Bruma

8.8

2018 Syrah Estate Les Titans

9.3

2017 Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard

7.5

2017 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast)

7.8

2017 Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast)

7.8

2017 Syrah Estate La Bruma

8.0

2017 Syrah Estate Les Titans

8.0

2017 Pinot Noir Estate Ama

8.4

2017 Chardonnay Estate

8.4

2017 Pinot Noir Estate Pomarium

8.5

2017 Pinot Noir Estate Scallop Shelf

8.2

2016 Viognier Estate (Sonoma Coast)

7.3

2016 Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard

7.6

2016 Pinot Noir Estate Scallop Shelf

7.5

2016 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast)

7.5

2016 Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast)

7.5

2016 Roussanne/Marsanne Estate

7.5

2016 Pinot Noir Estate Ama

8.0

2016 Chardonnay Estate

8.0

2016 Pinot Noir Estate Elanus

8.0

2016 Pinot Noir Estate Pomarium

8.0

2016 Syrah Estate La Bruma

8.4

2016 Chardonnay Estate Elanus

9.0

2016 Syrah Estate Les Titans

9.1

2015 Viognier Estate (Sonoma Coast)

7.6

2015 Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast)

7.5

2015 Roussanne/Marsanne Estate

7.5

2015 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast)

7.7

2015 Syrah Estate La Bruma

7.8

2015 Pinot Noir Estate Ama

7.8

2015 Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard

8.0

2015 Pinot Noir Estate Scallop Shelf

8.0

2015 Syrah Estate Les Titans

8.0

2015 Chardonnay Estate

8.4

2015 Pinot Noir Estate Pomarium

8.4

2014 Pinot Noir Estate Elanus

7.8

2014 Chardonnay Estate Elanus

7.8

2014 Pinot Noir Estate Scallop Shelf

8.0

2014 Syrah Estate La Bruma

8.0

2014 Syrah Estate Les Titans

8.6