A recent trip up to Peay Vineyards on the Sonoma Coast was quite a revelation.

As a sommelier, I see more great wines hailing from this region everyday, and yet have not, until recently, even begun to understand the geography of this vast AVA known as Sonoma Coast. Sprawling over 480,000 acres of land from the north of the Green Valley area all the way down to Carneros, the boundaries, identified in 1987, were created primarily to suit Sonoma-Cutrers' desire to include all of it's major Chardonnay vineyards into one boundary, for use in it's "estate-bottled" label.

The area included in Sonoma Coast, also includes vineyards far west of Lake Sonoma and north of Jenner, almost touching the Mendocino County line right along the coast. This is a real hotbed of viticulture, where wineries like Hirsch and Peay are proving that the extremities of these northerly climes are among the best places in the world for the production of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. For now, it is fondly referred to by Nick Peay and Vanessa Wong, as the "True Sonoma Coast."

Sitting on the dining room table of Nick Peay and Vanessa Wong's house at the hilltop of the vineyards, was a relief map of this enormous AVA (the largest in the country) – Fortunately, the talented couple were there to explain the basic geography of this wild coast. The area right along the coast from the Mendocino County Line near the town of Annapolis, all the way down to the Russian River area, but within 5 miles of the Pacific Ocean, is considered by many to be the "True Sonoma Coast". Anything further inland, as defined in 1987, should not be defined "coastal", as the ocean influence diminishes the further inland you go. There are three subsections equaling roughly 10% of the entire Sonoma Coast AVA-they are ranked from coolest to warmest as Southern, Northern and Central. Southern being coolest because of it's proximity to the Petaluma Gap, a wide mouth south of Bodega Bay which permits fog and cold air to penetrate inland. This is where one would find such vineyards as Thierot and Thorn. Peay is located in the Northern part near the town of Annapolis where, even though the vines are planted at the same elevation as the Central section, there is a partial blocking of the fog, due to it's northwest exposure, deeming it slightly cooler then Central SC, as less warm air is rising and circulating through the vineyards.

The Central part of Sonoma Coast, which, according to David Hirsch is now it's own AVA recently named "Central Sonoma Coast" is at much higher elevation and the vineyards sit higher above the fog line in the warmer air-allowing full ripeness to occur. According to David, the temperature can climb up over 100 degrees in the summer months, but at night the fog rolls in and the temperature drops drastically, allowing the grapes a longer hang time. It is in the Central Sonoma Coast where Helen Turley planted the Blue Slide vineyard. Flowers Camp Meeting Ridge vineyard is also near by.

There is still much to be learned about the climate, soils & topography of the Sonoma Coast. As David Hirsch says, quoting Helen Turley, "we have just graduated from kindergarten". Many growers, like Nick and Vanessa, are doing extensive clonal experimentation as well, ( they have 9 clones of Pinot and 5 of Chardonnay), to find the most suitable clones for every microclimate in their vineyard. It seems as though everyone is passionate about their quest for a deeper understanding of this non-uniforn terrain, and recent tastings of 2003's from Hirsch, Peay, Littorai and Marcassin, have certainly provided proof that this narrow band of true coastal vineyards, is capable of producing world-class Pinot Noir & Chardonnay with great depth of flavor and complexity.