Winemaker Notes
The 2022 is another sensational Viognier and is on the less fruit-driven and more mineral side of the Estate Viogniers. The 2022 emphasizes lemon thyme and lime oil smells. The wine is medium-bodied and linear with bright acidity and limestone, chamomile, and lemon notes that linger in the after-taste.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
I always love this wine from Peay. Pouring a bright silver straw color, the 2022 Viognier Estate is a savory style of Viognier, with notes of lemon verbena, white peach, quince, and almond. Medium to full-bodied, it has a lovely, refined texture with a chalky feel and is mouthwatering on the finish. It is long on the palate and would be exceptionally paired with spring veggies with feta and peas.
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of tart pineapple, Meyer lemon, fresh sage and salty stones dominate the nose of this cool-climate, coastal Viognier. The palate is pure and energetic, with flavors of aprium, kaffir lime leaf, citrus mélange and very distinct minerality.
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Vinous
The 2022 Viognier Estate is bright and focused, as the wines from this site tend to be. Crystallized ginger, apricot, chamomile and dried flowers develop nicely in the glass, but it is the wine's brightness and vivacious acids that stand out most.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Estate Viognier unwinds slowly on the nose to reveal scents of peach, lemon verbena, baked bread and candle smoke. The light-bodied palate is flavorful and juicy, with a hint of texture that extends the finish.
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.