From the wine archives:
2017 Peay Vineyards Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast
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.
The 2017 vintage resulted in some of the most seamless Chardonnays we have made. The nose on the 2017 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay features aromas of almond, sage, and green banana with a citrus blossom perfume. The palate has quite attractive texture – silky and round, yet lively – and finishes with razor acidity and salty/brine, wet stone, and lime oil flavors on a long finish. To me, this is our most complete, polished and delicious Sonoma Coast blend to date likely due to vine age and the moderate weather during the growing season and the post verasion period. Our Chardonnay ripens late compared to other regions so the Labor Day heat event was not a factor. It is excellent now and will age gracefully for 10+ years.
Reviews for this wine
The 2017 Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast) is striking, especially at this level. Pliant, silky and caressing, with tremendous balance, the Sonoma Coast Chardonnay hits all the right notes. Apricot, white flowers, lemon confit and a touch of new oak are all woven together, but it is the wine’s balance that I find absolutely compelling. Most of the fruit for the appellation Chardonnay is estate.