Anybody who has been in our store asking for California Chardonnay recommendations has surely heard us mention the wines of Peake Ranch. This producer has previously been on our domestic "Top Wine" list in 2018, and judging by the newly released 2022 "Sierra Madre" Chardonnay, there's a good chance that they will be on the list this year!
Peake Ranch is a boutique, family-run winery owned by John and Gillian Wagner. Like all of us who have visited Santa Barbara County, the couple fell in love with the beautiful countryside and the friendliness of the people. They purchased Peake Ranch with a vision of building a winery and a house on the property, and producing extraordinary wines. They also bring a humbleness and sense of humility, which is honestly quite refreshing.
In addition to their own property, they also get fruit from the famed Sierra Madre Vineyard, one of the most prestigious vineyards in the Santa Maria Valley! Not only does this area benefit from cool summers, but Peake Ranch's portion of the vineyard comes from a south-facing hillside comprised of sandy, well-drained soil. The Robert Young clones that grow here take advantage of the spot to become both fully ripe and at the same time retain a high level of acidity. This combines both weight, richness, and freshness, producing highly complex wines.
Winemaker Wynne Solomon studied Wine and Viticulture at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, and began making wine with Stephen Ross Winery in the Edna Valley before moving down to the Sta. Rita Hills to continue pursuing cool climate winemaking with Melville Winery. She joined the Peake Ranch team in 2018, worked with previous winemaker Paul Lato in blending the 2017 vintage, and she made the 2018 vintage hand in hand with him. Her vision for Peake Ranch is to focus on the unique attributes of this area while emphasizing balance in Californian wines.
ANTONIO GALLONI 94 POINTS - "Wynne Solomon turned out a terrific set of wines at Peake Ranch. As always, this range draws from Peake as well as John Sebastiano and Sierra Madre, all of which are owned by John Wagner. The Chardonnays and Syrahs all benefitted from the more favorable weather that set in once the Labor Day heat spike subsided."
"The 2022 Chardonnay Sierra Madre Vineyard offers an intriguing mix of textural intensity and structure. Apricot, tangerine oil, mint, white pepper and slate all race across the palate. I would give this a bit of time in bottle. The 2022 is quite promising. "
JEB DUNNUCK 93 POINTS - "From the Santa Maria Valley, the 2022 Chardonnay Sierra Madre Vineyard reveals a light gold hue as well as a more focused, mineral-driven style in its citrus, tart pineapple, and honeyed, minty flower-like aromas and flavors. It's balanced, medium-bodied, has bright acidity, and a clean, lengthy finish."
Peake Ranch is a boutique, family-run winery owned by John and Gillian Wagner. Like all of us who have visited Santa Barbara County, the couple fell in love with the beautiful countryside and the friendliness of the people. They purchased Peake Ranch with a vision of building a winery and a house on the property, and producing extraordinary wines. They also bring a humbleness and sense of humility, which is honestly quite refreshing.
In addition to their own property, they also get fruit from the famed Sierra Madre Vineyard, one of the most prestigious vineyards in the Santa Maria Valley! Not only does this area benefit from cool summers, but Peake Ranch's portion of the vineyard comes from a south-facing hillside comprised of sandy, well-drained soil. The Robert Young clones that grow here take advantage of the spot to become both fully ripe and at the same time retain a high level of acidity. This combines both weight, richness, and freshness, producing highly complex wines.
Winemaker Wynne Solomon studied Wine and Viticulture at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, and began making wine with Stephen Ross Winery in the Edna Valley before moving down to the Sta. Rita Hills to continue pursuing cool climate winemaking with Melville Winery. She joined the Peake Ranch team in 2018, worked with previous winemaker Paul Lato in blending the 2017 vintage, and she made the 2018 vintage hand in hand with him. Her vision for Peake Ranch is to focus on the unique attributes of this area while emphasizing balance in Californian wines.
ANTONIO GALLONI 94 POINTS - "Wynne Solomon turned out a terrific set of wines at Peake Ranch. As always, this range draws from Peake as well as John Sebastiano and Sierra Madre, all of which are owned by John Wagner. The Chardonnays and Syrahs all benefitted from the more favorable weather that set in once the Labor Day heat spike subsided."
"The 2022 Chardonnay Sierra Madre Vineyard offers an intriguing mix of textural intensity and structure. Apricot, tangerine oil, mint, white pepper and slate all race across the palate. I would give this a bit of time in bottle. The 2022 is quite promising. "
JEB DUNNUCK 93 POINTS - "From the Santa Maria Valley, the 2022 Chardonnay Sierra Madre Vineyard reveals a light gold hue as well as a more focused, mineral-driven style in its citrus, tart pineapple, and honeyed, minty flower-like aromas and flavors. It's balanced, medium-bodied, has bright acidity, and a clean, lengthy finish."
