Winemaker Notes
Peay Viognier does not often resemble the typical French or American Viognier in style. This is due to their very cold location for growing this grape variety. The wine has a more mineral and herbal-driven character with high acid and balanced alcohol; in other words, the opposite of the typical Viognier. The 2020 reflects the warm vintage and has fewer green, herbal descriptors but captures the lemongrass, jasmine and candied ginger notes often featured in their Viognier. These bright aromas are underpinned by lanolin, biscuit and beeswax notes. The mid-palate is silky and round and finishes with bright acidity which is well-integrated with the overall profile of the wine. You can drink this now and for the next 3-5 years without any concern of fading.
Full-figured and charmingly floral, Viognier is one of the most important white grapes of the northern Rhône where it is used both to produce single varietal wines and as an important blending grape. Look for great New World examples from California, Oregon, Washington and cooler parts of Australia. Somm Secret—Viognier plays a surprisingly important role in the red wines of Côte Rôtie in the northern Rhône. About 5% Viognier is typically co-fermented with the Syrah in order to stabilize the color, and as an added benefit, add a subtle perfume.
A vast appellation covering Sonoma County’s Pacific coastline, the Sonoma Coast AVA runs all the way from the Mendocino County border, south to the San Pablo Bay. The region can actually be divided into two sections—the actual coastal vineyards, marked by marine soils, cool temperatures and saline ocean breezes—and the warmer, drier vineyards further inland, which are still heavily influenced by the Pacific but not quite with same intensity.
Contained within the appellation are the much smaller Fort Ross-Seaview and Petaluma Gap AVAs.
The Sonoma Coast is highly regarded for elegant Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and, increasingly, cool-climate Syrah. The wines have high acidity, moderate alcohol, firm tannin, and balanced ripeness.