"Cep pinot noir is remarkably good. It should be as it is made from coddled – and very expensively farmed – grapes from our estate vineyard. You simply cannot find a wine of this complexity and site expressiveness at this price point unless it is a second label; certainly not one from the Coast where our yields are so low. Cep Pinot noir delivers the balance and elegance you expect from de-classified barrels of Peay Vineyards’ Estate Pinot noirs. The high-toned nose captivates with raspberry/strawberry notes mingled with deeper anise and tea notes. The mouth feel is round though precise with a medium length finish brought into focus by refreshing acidity."
"The pursuit of aromatic, elegant, red-fruited Pinot noir led us to the chilly edge of the West Sonoma Coast just 4 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Due to our cool, moderate weather, we experience quite a long growing season that allows us to pick fruit that is ripe without the encumbrance of too much sugar (and resulting alcohol) and retains the refreshing acidity and top-noted aromatics that make Pinot noir so engaging.
We grow 35 acres of Pinot noir split into 20-25 separate blocks based on clonal selection (13 and counting), aspect (SW, S, SE E), elevation (600-775 feet), and various other factors. We pick them individually and vinify 20-25 Pinot noirs each vintage. The three estate blends (Ama, Pomarium, and Scallop Shelf) are each a combination of 3-6 clones and blocks and do not represent a specific block in the vineyard but instead are expressions of Pinot noir from the vineyard. We make these blends without knowledge of how many cases of each wine we will produce, how much new oak is involved, stem use, or what clones are in which wine. This “blind” process keeps us focused on making the absolute best expression of that blend without any financial or other considerations. Any barrels that do not go into one of the named Estate wines go through the same blind selection process to make the Sonoma Coast cuvée. Any remaining barrels are declassified and comprise the Cep Pinot noir. In particularly exceptional and abundant years, we also make a three-barrel production of Pinot noir named Elanus."