2009 Estate Chardonnay
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Tasting notes
With a little more richness and breadth, and less racing acidity than the 2012, the 2009 still carries notes of lime oil and saline throughout. Hints of toast and spice. Shantung silk texture, and an ultra-long finish. (ECB)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2009 Chardonnay Estate is a vivid, multi-dimensional wine that captures the essence of the Peay style. Lemon, pear, butter, pastry and spices are nicely supported by underlying veins of minerality that give the wine its freshness and verve. The textural finesse of the finish alone is striking.
The 2009 Chardonnay Estate is a vivid, multi-dimensional wine that captures the essence of the Peay style. Lemon, pear, butter, pastry and spices are nicely supported by underlying veins of minerality that give the wine its freshness and verve. The textural finesse of the finish alone is striking. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2016. Peay is one of the most intriguing young wineries in Sonoma. Brothers Andy and Nick Peay bought their property in 1996 and began planting in 1998. This site, near Annapolis, is in the coldest part of Sonoma County. When things go well, the harvest takes place in October. Two tons per acre – considered very low anywhere else in the world – is a very generous harvest here. Normal yields are in the 1.3-1.5 tons per acre range. Vanessa Wong, Nick Peay’s wife and a veteran of Peter Michael and Hirsch, makes the wines. Tel. (707) 894-8720
Light yellow. High-pitched aromas of lemon curd, green apple and honeysuckle, with sneaky iodine and spice nuances that gain power with air. Dusty, precise and palate-staining, offering dense citrus and orchard fruit flavors with zero fat. Notes of ginger and agave appear on the finish, which is linear and very persistent. I really like this wine's focus.
About the producer
Peay Vineyards is a small, family-owned estate winery on the rugged West Sonoma Coast in California, crafting elegant, site-driven Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay, and other varietals from organically farmed grapes grown just miles from the Pacific Ocean.