Rain, rain, please don't go away!

Look at those droplets of goodness!

We've never been so happy to see gray skies. And these clouds definitely have very valuable silver linings.

Our current drought situation, which has recently been declared the worst in California since the winter of 1976-77 is finally being mitigated by a full day of steady rain. And it's predicted to continue through Sunday!

At Peju, we aren't in a horrible position water-wise just yet, as our vineyards are organically and sustainably farmed, and thus dry farmed whenever possible. But the prospect of zero rain this year was a scary one nonetheless, so we are celebrating today.

We suggest you open a bottle of Peju and pray for toast to more rain this weekend! It will mean a higher production of amazing wine from the 2014 vintage and in years to come!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

A Word on the Inaugural Peju Brut Sparkling

Why sparkling? Peju daughters Ariana and Lisa, along with our winemaker Sara Fowler, share a fondness for that special bubbly beverage. Its versatility with food, its ability to make itself at home at Sunday brunches and dressy dinner parties, and that inimitable pop and sparkle that never fails to bring a smile to everyone's face... Sparkling wine is an essential. And after so many years of yearning to pop a bottle of bubbles with a Peju label on it, the family decided to change that reality.

Partnering with a small grower in Mendocino County, Sara and her team harvested and crafted a classic blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir. The resulting wine is crisp, floral, and lively, with notes of yellow apple and a satisfying richness on the finish.

Behind the scenes, it's quite the process to produce sparkling wine in the traditional methode champenoise--the bottling process alone has taken centuries and many feats of engineering to perfect--and there were plenty of hurdles we encountered on our way. We wanted to source the absolute best Chardonnay and Pinot Noir we could find from a small grower who shared our values and ideals of farming sustainably. So although it took some searching, there's just something about those bubbles in our glass that simply makes us happy, a tiny joy that no other wine can attempt to replace, and we wanted to offer that to you through our very own wines.

We hope you'll make your way over for a tasting or check out our online shop to order a few bottles for your next bash...we think you'll enjoy it just as much as we do. And to all of our male Peju loyalists: see below. There's a reason we call it "Brut"...bubbles can be manly too!

New Partnership with Christopher Hill Gallery

Many years have passed since the days of wine tasting in the barn with Tony and HB. The winery has grown from a modest but burgeoning wine growing operation to a thriving and widely respected family business--and throughout that evolution, we have sought to make the experience of visiting the winery as delightful and memorable and complete as possible.

We have shown the work of various artists in our very own Peju Art Gallery for several years now, because we see appreciation of art and wine as being very closely linked. So as of last week, we are very pleased to begin a new partnership with another local business--Christopher Hill Gallery in St. Helena. We are so excited about this opportunity to work closely with our neighbor up the road, and of course to feature the work of some of the country's most exciting and talented artists selected by a prominent expert in his field.


This collaboration will allow us to benefit from Christopher Hill's sharp eye and unique, personal approach to curation. His nationally renowned gallery has drawn the attention of the art world since its opening in 2002 and Christopher is devoted to developing relationships with established artists as well as fostering up and coming talent. The result is a gallery that represents a cross section of 20th century movements and concepts featuring artists who are on the cutting edge in terms of conception, creativity, and technique.

We can't help but take an extra walk or 10 through the gallery every day now...it's quite impressive. So please be sure to check it out next time you are in the valley! You may wind up taking home a painting to go with your wine...

A New and Exciting Release

Following an earlier than average harvest in 2013, we are very excited about the recent release of our 2013 Sauvignon Blanc. This wine has a quick turnaround in cellar. It is fermented in stainless steel tanks, setting it on course to be as fresh, and vibrant, and lively as possible, and as of December it was good to go and ready to be bottled.

This wine is very expressive and true to Peju's signature style--fruit driven, bright, lush, and utterly drinkable. With a warm year that was ideal for ultra-ripe fruit bursting with flavor, the volume on our SB is turned up all the way. Packed with notes of pineapple, lychee, apricot, peach, grapefruit, and lemon curd, this wine will be an excellent match for all of the winter seafood we are seeing right now (Dungeness crab anyone?) and will carry you all the way through to the warmer months for porch sipping. We hope you will enjoy it as much as we do.