2022 Peay Vineyards Maritima Estate Chardonnay, West Sonoma Coast

Our Chardonnays have been selling out very quickly upon release. This leaves me grasping a bit when I’d like to pour our wines for customers and, as a result, I’ve been dipping into the next vintage a wee early. This has been a delight with the 2022 Maritima Estate Chardonnay as it is already downright delicious. The name Maritima is Portuguese for maritime which is a defining feature of our vineyard, pressed up against the Pacific Ocean nestled in the cool and damp marine layer. This translates to the wine in the bright and youthful mint, bay leaf, lemon curd and green banana notes and the fresh mouth-watering acidity. Draped over the spine is a silky mid-palate highlighting curd, flint, and salt notes. The finish is quite long with aromas building with time and leaving an almost metallic aroma on the back palate. It is wonderful right now, joyful with bright fruit notes and will age into a harmonious expression that captures the singular essence of Peay Chardonnay. And, yes, this is a new name for the Estate cuvée but the “same” wine. We added the moniker Maritima to help differentiate it from the West Sonoma Coast Chardonnay which is almost all estate fruit but a different bottling.

Decanter: 97 pts. Evocative of the Amalfi coast, Sicilian lemons, salty air, and white flowers. The palate balances all the generosity of juicy lemons with a tingly mineral character. Gorgeous lemon grilled, fresh mint, and mouthfuls of minerality, crushed slate with stone smoky flint.

Jeb Dunnuck: 96 pts.  Notes of sea spray, ripe citrus blossom, ripe apples, melon rind, and almond. Full-bodied, it has elegant charm through its long finish, with notes of marzipan lasting after the wine is gone. It is highly refined and has a great deal of high-quality feel.

$64/btl during release, $68/btl after.  60 half bottles available.