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.
2019 Lucia, Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands, California
the 2019 Vintage
The beautiful weather and mild seasons of 2018 continued into 2019, cultivating another excellent year for grape growers and winemakers. The 2019 vintage saw 15.2” of winter rainfall. This is dry by most region’s standards, but a very nice amount for the Santa Lucia Highlands. It provided good soil moisture to start the season. Budbreak began late due to the lengthy cold front in February and March, which brought snowfall to the tops of the Santa Lucia mountain range. As the season transitioned into summer, the canopies were strong and the weather remained cool with heavy fog. Verasion developed late but progressed quickly as temperatures rose. This was beneficial in creating a consistent level of development and ripeness. Approaching fall, weather remained steady, yet the drying soils brought harvest about more quickly: our Chardonnay grapes from Soberanes Vineyard were the first to harvest on September 13. The Pinot Noir harvest started with the Garys’ Vineyard on September 14. First harvest at Pisoni Estate was Pinot Noir on September 20. The harvest then continued at a steady gallop until the final day of picking on October 16. The resulting wines show great purity and focus, with richness and concentration and exceptionally fine tannins. The 2019 vintage brings a profile that is generous in flavor, but still refined and built for aging.
the Vineyard
The Soberanes Vineyard is the latest joint venture between the Pisoni and Franscioni families. 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.
the 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 with native yeast 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.
Tasting Notes
Flowing from the bottle a shade of dark ruby, the 2019 Lucia Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir is a dazzling display of symmetry from this iconic site, with each component in perfect equilibrium. Juicy aromatics of ripe raspberry and red cherry are countered flawlessly with more elegant notes of Asian spice, wet earth, and hints of cedar. Native fermentations of each block, taking place in open-top tanks, are meticulously managed to achieve perfect extraction of flavor, color and tannin. This extra care rewards as incredibly pure flavors of ripe plum, fig jam, and dusty black cherry coat the palate, while velvety tannin is partnered with fresh, vibrant acidity. This wine will age and maintain this balance for years to come.
| Cases Produced | 410 |
|---|---|
| Retail Price | $70 |
| Release Date | Spring 2021 |
| Winemaker | Jeff Pisoni |
| Barrel Aging | 11 months in 40% New Oak |
|---|---|
| Barrel Origin | 100% French Oak |
| Whole Cluster | 30% |
| Fermentation | 100% Native Yeast |
The Story of Lucia:
Praise from Vinous:
At Pisoni, Classical Winemaking Begins