Peay Vineyards is a partnership between Vanessa Wong, and Andy and Nick Peay. Founded in 1998, the 48 acre hilltop vineyard is located in the far northwestern corner of the Sonoma Coast, four miles from the Pacific Ocean. They grow 33 acres of Pinot Noir, 8 acres of Syrah, 5 acres of Chardonnay and small amounts of Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne. Winemaker Vanessa Wong left her position as winemaker at Peter Michael Winery in 2001 to dedicate her time to launching Peay Vineyards. Nick, a University California Davis-trained and veteran Santa Cruz mountains winemaker is the vineyard manager, while Andy is in charge of sales and marketing.
This cool climate Syrah registers at 13.9% ABV and is a light purple in color. Blueberries, lavender and smoke waft from the glass. Cherries, marionberry, flowers, pepper, iodine and game on the palate. Light and fresh with brilliant acidity. Super wine. Drink over the next 2-3 years.
My rating: 92 points.
As I previously mentioned in Mailing Lists: Excellent California Wines Without the Wait – Peay is a winery to keep your eye on. They were the San Francisco Chronicle Winery of the Year in 2009 and sell fruit to Williams-Selyem and Failla, yet they still fly under the radar.
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