2023 Richardson Chardonnay

The Richardson Vineyard Chardonnay is a brand-new wine from Peay. At the urging of Peay and other wineries, the Richardson family (who were originally in the timber and sheep businesses) planted grape vines in the mid-2010s. “We helped plant our own budwood,” Andy Peay recalls. In previous years, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes from the vineyard were blended into the Sonoma Coast appellation wines. “This year, it was a really singular expression,” Andy notes of the 2023 vintage. “So, we will have this moving forward.” The 2023 Chardonnay Richardson Vineyard has open-knit aromas of peach, apricot, panna cotta, graham cracker and honey. The medium-bodied palate is satiny and mouth coating with intense, honeyed flavors, and it reveals additional layers of tropical fruit and floral perfume as it warms in the glass. Its richness is foiled by energetic acidity, and it has a very long finish. Although this site is slightly warmer than Peay Vineyards, Winemaker Vanessa Wong notes, “It’s really important to me to express terroir.” At 13.8% alcohol, this offers richness and verve. 150 cases were made, and it will be released in August 2025.