From the wine archives:
2018 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 2018 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay reinforces the impression that has been building over the past two vintages about this blend’s potential. We winnowed down the outside fruit to less than 20% and kept total production small at 550 cases. The remaining 80% of the blend is Chardonnay grown on our Estate vineyard and the structure and profile of the Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is very much one of a Peay Estate Chardonnay. The nose is floral and powerful. Some baked pear and apple notes sit deep in the bottom of the glass. The mouthfeel is like silk and velvet wrapped around an iron spine.
Reviews for this wine
The 2018 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast opens delicately with hints of green pears, white blossoms, saline and stone with wafts of lemon peel. The palate is light-bodied, tangy, uplifted and mineral-driven with a linear feel and precise finish. 550 cases produced.
The 2018 Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast) is a gorgeous appellation-level wine. Lemon confit, mint, apricot and a kiss of new French oak add character to a silky, exceptionally polished wine that hits all the right notes. About three quarters of this fruit is from the estate. The 2018 is such a classy and well-balanced wine. I loved it.