From the wine archives:

2016 Peay Vineyards Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast

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A collage of photographs and graphics that represent this Cuvée. This image is also used as the product image for wines of this Cuvée.

Sonoma Coast

Though we select the barrels for the Estate Chardonnay first, the Sonoma Coast is not an after-thought, or even a lesser wine. Regional wines – what we refer to here as AVA wines – are usually composites from grapes grown at many sites within an AVA. That is the case for the Peay Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, too. Over 75% of the blend, however, comes from our Estate Vineyard and is farmed to the same exacting standards. The remaining quarter (just a few tons) comes from the Searby Vineyard in the southern portion of the West Sonoma Coast near Occidental. Searby is one of the most highly sought-after vineyards for vineyard-designate Chardonnay in Sonoma County. As it is a touch warmer in Occidental, that portion of the blend offers a little more richness and silkiness while the structure and fruit profile of the Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is very much one of a Peay Estate Chardonnay and has a similar intensity and complexity.

We have had a string of increasingly great Chardonnay vintages culminating in the superb 2016 Chardonnays. Ninety percent of the 2016 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is made from barrels of our Estate Chardonnay plus ten percent from Searby Vineyard farmed by Charlie Heintz in Occidental. The nose on the 2016 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is quite pretty featuring lemon merengue, white peach, ginger, and lemon thyme notes. The mouth confirms the nose though there is a pronounced lime and Granny Smith apple fruit profile that delightfully lights a path from the front of the palate to the finish. The wine has medium weight across the mid palate and also finishes with a salty, briny flavor on a clean, crisp, and long finish. Superb to enjoy now and will age beautifully due to the wonderful acidity and freshness of the style.

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Our wines are made from grapes grown on our 53-acre hilltop vineyard located above a river in the far northwestern corner of the West Sonoma Coast, 4 miles from the Pacific Ocean. We grow Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay, Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne. You can browse our current offerings in our online Wine Shop.

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Want Some Wine?

Our wines are made from grapes grown on our 53-acre hilltop vineyard located above a river in the far northwestern corner of the West Sonoma Coast, 4 miles from the Pacific Ocean. We grow Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay, Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne. You can browse our current offerings in our online Wine Shop.

Shop