Vanessa Wong joined Peay Vineyards for their first vintage in 2001. Prior to Peay, she worked at Peter Michael Winery as winemaker and assistant winemaker from 1996-2000. She also has spent time working in France at Château Lafite-Rothschild in Pauillac and Domaine Jean Gros in Vosne-Romanée as well as in California at Hirsch Winery and Franciscan.

A native of San Francisco, Wong was initiated into the wine business by working in wine retail and catering at the ripe old age of 14. This early exposure to the world of wine and its distinctive yet universal appeal sparked her fascination with winemaking. This led her to pursue a degree in viticulture and enology at UC Davis much to the chagrin of her parents who thought she was taking pre-med classes. Vanessa expanded on her studies at U.C. Davis by working at various wineries in the Napa Valley and spending one year in France to study enology and do research at the l’Institut d’Œnologie in Bordeaux. Upon completion of her studies she traveled between Europe and Australia to explore the diversity of winemaking.

Together with Andy and Nick Peay, Vanessa shares the vision of farming grapes that express the unique climate and soil of a site and result in world-class, single-vineyard wines.