With generations of farming history in Monterey County, and a commitment to making exceptional wines, The Pisoni
Family hand-crafts the Lucia wines from the Pisoni, Garys’ and Soberanes Vineyards of the Santa Lucia Highlands.
THE VINEYARD
The Soberanes Vineyard is the latest j between the Pisoni and Franscioni f Situated on the Santa Lucia Highlands Bench adjacent to the Garys’ Vineyard and recently named “one of the appellation’s most esteemed properties” by the Wine Enthusiast, the site features tightly spaced vines and is planted to 33 acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. The clonal material planted in the loamy, rocky soil is very diverse and features over a dozen of the most renowned heritage selections from California and Burgundy.
WINEMAKING
The Pisoni Family is committed to raising and hand-crafting exceptional wines. The limited-production Lucia wines are created using classic, gentle and thoughtful winemaking techniques. Hand-picked and sorted grapes are fermented on native yeasts and aged in carefully selected French oak barrels. Our state-of-the-art winemaking facility uses gravity flow as part of a custom design conceived to merge the estate vineyards and winery. This affords us complete control of the farming and winemaking process, ensuring consistently superior quality.
THE VINTAGE
Farming was extremely important in 2015. An unseasonably warm winter led to the earliest bud break on record in the Santa Lucia Highlands, effectively shifting the growing season to the early months of the year. May was cold, overcast and windy. Flowering occurred during these fierce weather conditions, resulting in a poor set. Shatter was rampant. It became clear early on that 2015 would be a low-yielding vintage. With crop levels down 70% in some blocks, it was imperative that the remaining fruit be tended with utmost care. Fortunately, summer cooperated with mild temperatures and normal levels of fog, so vine development kept its usual pace. Harvest began the last week in August and spanned the month of September. Despite the early start and finish to harvest, total time for fruit on the vines was relatively typical, and Brix levels were lower than normal due to one more year of drought stress on the vines and early phenolic maturity.
TASTING NOTES
A vibrant greenish-gold color in hue, the Soberanes Chardonnay harmonizes restraint and intensity. Its aromatics, soft at first, deepen into orange blossom and yellow peach. Undertones of minerality showcase the loamy, rocky soils of Soberanes Vineyard, whose bracing, chilly mornings show in the wine’s freshness. We used a light hand in the winery to foster its development, stirring the lees as little as possible during this vintage’s 15-month aging process. The result is a wine of great density and structure on the palate, with a holistic balance of fruit and texture. Great tension in its broad, expansive finish will lead to excellent cellaring for several years to come.
