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
Grown exclusively from our Pisoni, Garys’ and Soberanes vineyards, the Lucia appellation-based wines are a wonderful representation of our estate vineyards, of which each block is cultivated to the same high standards. These wines offer excellent value, and Jeb Dunnuck of Wine Advocate has previously described these AVA blends as “a perfect example of the incredible quality that’s consistently coming from this estate.”
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
This wine showcases a combination of fruit from the Pisoni, Garys’ and Soberanes vineyards, where yields were generally 50% lower than normal. Despite its youthfulness, the Lucia Pinot Noir already shows signs of finesse. The fruit offers a gorgeous balance of acid and sugar levels, the result of cooling ocean breezes and foggy mornings in the vineyards. Once poured, the wine releases elegant aromas of raspberry, violets and crushed rose petal that linger in the glass. These floral notes also persevere in the mouth, producing a rich, elongated finish. Suave, layered tannins deliver great texture and length.
