2017 Pisoni Estate Pinot Noir
FARMERS. WINEMAKERS. Members of the Pisoni Family work together, committed to growing exceptional grapes and crafting compelling wines from their vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands.
First planted by Gary Pisoni in 1982, and now managed by his son Mark, Pisoni Vineyards consists of small vineyard blocks arranged on and around the ridges of the mountainous landscape. Ranging in size from one-half to 17 acres, the vineyard blocks perch at an altitude of 1,300 feet in the granite laced mountains of the coastal Santa Lucia Range.
The Pisoni Family produces essentially one wine per year under this label. The wine is a blend from several blocks on the Estate and is hand-crafted to best represent the vineyard and spirit of the Pisoni Family. Jeff Pisoni, Gary’s other son, is the winemaker for the Pisoni Estate wines. Total production ranges from 500 to 800 cases annually, depending on yield.
VINEYARD
- One of the highest-elevation vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands: 1,300 feet
- Decomposed granite soil. High amounts of schist and quartz
- Heavy fog influence
- 36 planted acres with 30 individually farmed blocks or sub-blocks
- 100% sustainable farming
- Hand-farmed & hand-harvested
VINTAGE
- Winter rainfall of 14 inches was welcomed and more than recent years
- 2017 was a drought-relieving year for California
- The heavier rainfall contributed to a later start to bud break.
- Spring and Summer weather was mild and maintained slow vine development
- 2017 was a year of great richness and vibrancy
- Harvest started on September 1st before a looming statewide heat wave
WINERY
- Hand Sorting
- 100% native-yeast fermentation
- 20% whole-cluster fermentation
- Select French oak barrels: 67% new French oak
- Minimal intervention is practiced
- Only natural settling of the wine is utilized: No use of fining or filtration
Notes
A season fueled by refreshing rainfall early in the season, the 2017 Pisoni Estate Pinot Noir is a breathtaking example of Pisoni Vineyards. Its strikingly dark ruby core acts as a curtain that draws open gracefully with each swirl in the glass. Waves of pure fruit offer notes of plum, crushed strawberries and black cherry and are delicately balanced with complex notes of black sage, violets and su bois, marrying distinct elements that form a whole greater than the sum of its parts. While the fruit was developing on the vines, cool, foggy mornings tempered sunny summer afternoons, preserving vital acidity while at the same time encouraging phenolic development and ripeness in the treasured clusters. This wine drinks beautifully now, but will continue reaching new heights for those who resist temptation over the next decade or more.
- Mark & Gary Pisoni, Vineyard Managers
- Jeff Pisoni, Winemaker
- Alcohol: 14.1%
- Cases Produced: 714
- Bottled Date: August 16, 2018
- Release Date: September 2019
Art. Science. Craft.
Jeb Dunnuck Reviews 2017 Pisoni Estate 
Gary Pisoni’s Relentless Pursuit of