Peay Vineyards 'Estate Scallop Shelf' Pinot Noir

94 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Bright red. Explosively perfumed aromas of candied red fruits, potpourri, blood orange and Asian spices, with a smoky overtone. Incisive raspberry, cherry and rose pastille flavors show an alluring sweetness buffered by zesty mineral and spice notes. Silky, focused pinot with excellent back-end cut and finishing power.

91 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2009 Pinot Noir Scallop Shelf Estate is endowed with striking inner perfume and tons of detail in a weightless style that is highly appealing. Gracious and refined, the Scallop Shelf impresses for its length and depth of flavor. This is more of an aromatic style built on minerality and length. Though quite understated at times, there is no mistaking the pedigree of what is in the glass. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017.

If you want to hear K&L San Francisco's Michael Jordan wax as poetic as the verse he includes in his monthly column in K&L's Wine News then ask him about the wines of Peay Vineyards, a perennial favorite of his and many others at K&L. The 2009 Scallop Shelf from the Peay brothers' vineyards on the far reaches of the Sonoma Coast has a floral, high-toned cherry nose, with crunchy red cherry, cranberry and raspberry fruit, black tea and orange zest flavors adding complexity. A feminine Pinot Noir that balances tannins and acidity, it's drinkable now, but will be even better in a few years as everything knits together and subtler earthy aspects emerge.