Peay Vineyards

Peay Vineyards began in 1996 when brothers Andy and Nick Peay identified a remote hilltop near Sea Ranch as one of the coldest, most marine-influenced sites in all of California. The first 30 acres were planted in 1998, with subsequent plantings in 2001 and 2008 bringing the estate to its current 53 acres. The 2002 vintage marked the first commercial release, meaning the oldest vines had reached roughly 26 to 27 years of age by 2025. The winery earned San Francisco Chronicle Winery of the Year honors in 2009, a remarkable recognition for such a small, young operation focused on a single, unproven site.

• Property identified and project launched 1996; first 30 acres planted 1998
• Inaugural commercial vintage was 2002
• Named San Francisco Chronicle Winery of the Year in 2009
• Site located in the far northwestern corner of the West Sonoma Coast AVA, near Sea Ranch

Peay Vineyards operates as a first-generation family winery with a clear division of responsibility that has remained stable since the estate's earliest years. Nick Peay manages all viticulture on the estate while his wife, winemaker Vanessa Wong, oversees every aspect of production. Brother Andy Peay handles sales and the day-to-day business operations. Wong joined the team in spring 2001 before the estate's first vintage was made, and she married Nick the following year, cementing a partnership that is both familial and professional. Before arriving at Peay, Wong had served as winemaker at Peter Michael Winery and had trained in France at two prestigious addresses.

• Nick Peay manages viticulture; Vanessa Wong manages winemaking; Andy Peay manages sales and business
• Vanessa Wong joined in spring 2001, married Nick Peay the following year
• Wong previously served as winemaker at Peter Michael Winery
• Wong trained in France at Château Lafite-Rothschild and Domaine Jean Gros

The entire Peay estate covers 53 acres on a single hilltop 4 miles from the Pacific Ocean, giving it one of the most powerful marine exposures of any California vineyard. Pinot Noir dominates with 34 acres planted across four named blocks: Scallop Shelf, Pomarium, Ama, and a Sonoma Coast block. Syrah occupies 8 acres in the Les Titans and La Bruma blocks, while Chardonnay covers 7 acres. Smaller plantings of Viognier (1.8 acres), Roussanne (0.4 acres), and Marsanne (0.2 acres) support Rhone-style white blends. The estate also sources Pinot Noir from Savoy Vineyard in Anderson Valley, which appears on certain Cep second-label bottlings.

• 34 acres Pinot Noir across Scallop Shelf, Pomarium, Ama, and Sonoma Coast blocks
• 8 acres Syrah in Les Titans and La Bruma blocks; 7 acres Chardonnay
• Minor plantings of Viognier, Roussanne, and Marsanne support estate Rhone whites
• Savoy Vineyard in Anderson Valley provides additional Pinot Noir for select bottlings

Peay is certified organic and holds fish-friendly farming and integrated pest management certifications, reflecting a commitment to the health of the surrounding coastal ecosystem. Soils are deliberately left untilled so that microbial life and root systems can develop undisturbed, a philosophy that prioritizes long-term soil health over short-term convenience. Vanessa Wong's winemaking background, shaped by stages in Burgundy and Bordeaux, informs a restrained, terroir-driven style that lets the extreme maritime conditions of the site speak clearly in the glass. The second label, Cep, allows the team to present the estate's philosophy at a more accessible price point while maintaining the same organic-farming standards.

• Certified organic; also holds fish-friendly farming and integrated pest management certifications
• No tillage practiced; approach prioritizes soil microbiome and root health
• 90% of production comes from estate fruit; total output is 3,000 to 3,900 cases annually
• Second label Cep (pronounced 'sep') offers approachable entry to the estate's style

Peay Vineyards is one of a small number of California producers that has staked everything on a single, geographically extreme site and allowed that site to dictate the style of every wine made there. The combination of severe marine influence, certified organic farming without tillage, and a winemaker trained at some of France's most prestigious addresses produces wines that feel genuinely European in their restraint without being imitative. At 3,000 to 3,900 cases per year, scarcity reinforces quality, and the estate's consistent critical recognition since its 2009 Winery of the Year award confirms that the gamble on the far West Sonoma Coast has paid off. For students of American Pinot Noir and Syrah, Peay represents an important argument that site, not variety, is the starting point for great wine.

• Demonstrates that extreme maritime sites on the West Sonoma Coast can produce world-class Pinot Noir and Syrah
• One of California's smallest serious producers at under 4,000 cases annually
• Winemaker Vanessa Wong brings rare dual experience from both Burgundy and Bordeaux grand cru properties
• Consistent critical recognition since 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Winery of the Year award