Peay’s Scallop Shelf vineyard got its name when, while prepping the land for planting, viticulturist Nick Peay discovered ancient scallop and nautilus fossils in the soil strata: the vineyard’s ocean-floor past pre-dates the formation of the coastal Sonoma range where it’s located. This is a cool, breezy piece of land with a long growing season, sitting some 300 to 350 metres above sea level. You could call Peay Pinot specialists – they have a real knack for blending vineyard parcels and small lots. Their wines are not encumbered by overbearing sugar or overripe fruit and consistently retain refreshing acidity and engaging aromatic top-notes.

The single vineyard Scallop Shelf Estate Pinot Noir is a blend of six Pinot clones: Pommard, 777, 115, Swan, Mt. Eden, and 828. The wine was fermented in small, open-top fermenters, moved by gravity, aged for 11 months in new and neutral French oak barrels, and bottled unfined and unfiltered.

“Scallop Shelf is an estate cuvée assembled by winemaker Vanessa Wong. The driver for the wine is the Pommard clone selection (typically 60%). The 2022 vintage is lushly fruited blue and red fruits and clove spice. 2022 was an excellent vintage pushed by a severe heat spike in September around Labor Day. The Scallop Shelf was picked at the front end of the heat spike and Andy Peay feels there is a fullness of fruit expression. This wine shows a touch more heft, but the acids didn’t drop, allowing the wine to retain an elegant florality. Smoky spice aromas lift red and blue fruits. The palate’s fleshy cherry fruits don’t mute the wine’s elegance or linearity as blood orange zest and Chinese five spice lift the fruit into ethereal heights of savoury spice.”
97 points, Clive Pursehouse, Decanter, January 2024

“A medium ruby red hue, the 2022 Pinot Noir Scallop Shelf is fantastic and layered with notes of violets, crushed stones, black raspberries, wild herbs, and a hint of pepper spice. Medium-bodied, it offers a long, incredible texture all the way through, with a velvety sea foam feel and a clean finish. Drink over the next 15 or so years.”
97 points, Audrey Frick, Jeb Dunnuck, June 2024