“The wines I tasted for this report are positively stellar...the Pinots and the Syrahs – they are all strikingly beautiful, compelling and flat-out gorgeous. I would be thrilled to own and drink them.” - Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“Nick and Andy Peay purchased their isolated, dramatically situated property at the extreme northern end of the Sonoma Coast, just below Mendocino County, in 1998 and now have just under 50 acres planted to vines…Nick's wife Vanessa Wong, who has put in time in both Bordeaux and Burgundy (at Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Domaine Jean Gros), worked at Peter Michael from 1996 until helping to establish Peay with the 2001 vintage…’The variety of exposures and overall situation here is incredible, not to mention the diurnal shifts, fog influence and coastal influence. The yields here are by nature very low, which means greater concentration of flavors, which is the key to great wines. That's why everybody is fascinated with the coast.’” – Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Chardonnay Estate 2017
We grow 7 clones of Chardonnay on 7 of the chilliest acres in the vineyard. We farm an assortment of Old Wente and Dijon clonal selections of Chardonnay. Regardless of clone, our Chardonnays have a distinct signature that can best be described as a combination of chalky, citrus, apple and pear notes combined with vibrant energy from the brisk acidity. 425 cases produced.
$55 per bottle
95 points Vinous: “The 2017 Chardonnay Estate is quite deep and almost phenolic in its sense of structure. This a rare Chardonnay that absolutely demands cellaring. Sage, almond, dried pear, chalk, mint, lemon confit and crushed rocks develop with time in the glass, but the 2017 is a wine that will need at least a few years in bottle to start drinking well.”
Pinot Noir Savoy 2017
Richard Savoy first purchased a homestead high above Boonville in 1984 and his passion for Pinot Noir inspired him to see the possibilities of this remote place. The cool nights and warm summer days around the Philo area intrigued him, and, seeking a larger vineyard site in the area, he knew he had struck gold when he discovered a gently sloping southwest-facing pasture near the junction of Gowan Creek and the Navarro River. The ground was prepared, drainage installed, and a pond built. The first vines of Savoy Vineyard were planted in 1991, with additional acreage added every few years throughout the 1990s. 375 cases produced.
$55 per bottle
95 points Wine Advocate: “The 2017 Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard is broody with scents of crushed blackberries, rhubarb and blood orange accented by mint and oolong tea leaves and fragrant earth. The light to medium-bodied palate is delicately styled but well-concentrated with earth- and floral-tinged fruits and bursts of bright freshness on the long, layered finish. A very classic Anderson Valley expression.”
Pinot Noir Ama Estate 2017
At 18 years old, in a good growing season, the blocks that go into the Ama are showing the full potential always hinted at in previous vintages. The wine is superb right now as flavors are well-integrated but not overwhelming and the wine has a long road ahead of it. I find the sweet spot for drinking Ama, for me, is usually 6-10 years from vintage but it is a moving target. 550 cases produced.
$55 per bottle
95 points Vinous: “A brilliant wine, Peay's 2017 Pinot Noir Estate Ama offers an explosion of sweet red/purplish berry fruit, floral notes and spice, all with a hint of blood orange-infused acidity that gives the wine vibrancy. The 2017 Ama is wonderfully bold and luscious, and yet remains light on its feet. A striking wine from Peay.”
Pinot Noir Pomarium Estate 2017
We make our Estate wines blind to production information: we don’t know the clones, or the % oak, or the % whole cluster, or anything when we taste. The final blend has only Dijon 667 and Calera clones of Pinot noir. As you would expect, the profile hews more to the darker fruit expression including plums and blackberry. There is depth of flavor across the mid palate—what I call density—but it is not fat or fleshy. A few anise and bark notes peek out in the finish along with some floral notes from a touch of whole cluster. 550 cases produced.
$55 per bottle
96 points Wine Advocate: “Pale ruby-purple, the 2017 Estate Pinot Noir Pomarium has delicate scents of tangerine peel, rosewater, licorice, tea leaves and tree bark with bright, fresh red berry fruits at the core. In the mouth, it’s medium-bodied and silky, slowly expanding to bright, bitters-laced fruits with bursts of juiciness, loads of nuance and a very long, ethereal finish. What a gorgeous expression!”
Syrah Les Titans 2017
Our Estate vineyard is one of the coldest vineyards in California – in the world, for that matter – growing Syrah. When we purchased the property we were concerned that we would not be able to ripen Pinot noir, much less Syrah. Due to the moderating effect of our maritime climate, however, the onset of wet and cold weather is gradual and we can experience warm days with full sunshine in October. 385 cases produced.
$55 per bottle
94 points Wine Advocate: “Medium to deep ruby-purple, the 2017 Estate Syrah Les Titans opens very slowly in the glass, revealing layers of nuance with time: coffee, bitter chocolate and mint leaves emerge from fresh blackcurrant fruit with notes of iron, dried violets, lavender and aniseed. The medium to full-bodied palate is firm and grainy with bright pops of freshness and crunchy, peppery fruits, finishing long and understated.”
Syrah La Bruma 2017
Cool climate Syrah can take two forms. They are either red-fruited with floral and sanguine notes or leaning towards dark fruit with meaty, earthy notes. In both cases, refreshing acidity and low alcohol result in balanced wines with extraordinary age-ability...delivering our site’s unique mineral and white pepper characteristics. 225 cases produced.
$55 per bottle
95 points Wine Advocate: “The medium to deep ruby-purple colored 2017 Estate Syrah La Bruma offers lovely aromatic layers, with pure scents of violets, crushed blueberries, blackberry candy and bright pops of perfumed red berries with nuances of blood orange, iron, licorice and lavender. The palate is medium to full-bodied with bursts of mint and bay over a fresh, crunchy fruit core with anchoring notes of iron. The frame is ripe, grainy and fresh, and it finishes long and nuanced.”