Something very special happens when legendary California grower Gary Pisoni and his sons get together to craft Pinot Noir, and this offer for the 2021 Lucia by Pisoni Pinot Noir cuvees is proof positive, a stunning selection from Pisoni's vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands that belong in the glass and cellar of every fan and collector of California Pinot Noir at an astounding value price.
Legendary among California vintners for his flamboyant style and no-nonsense personality, Gary Pisoni has pioneered viticulture in the Santa Lucia Highlands for nearly five decades, convincing his farmer parents to pull up rows of vegetables and plant grapes in the dry Santa Lucia Mountains after returning from France in the 1980's. Facing the skepticism of his Swiss born parents that grapes would not grow in the dry terrain, Gary famously told his dad that you "can't charge $250 for a lettuce tasting" and forged ahead, originally irrigating the first vines with water trucks until locating a source 380 feet deep in the granite ten years later, the steady supply of water paired with the area's marine soils and coastal fog an ideal combination for growing Pinot Noir. Described by Robert Parker as "the grand cru of the Santa Lucia Highlands," the 40 acres of organically farmed Pisoni vineyards are perched at one of the AVA's highest points at 1,300 feet above the Salinas Valley, boasting mostly gravelly, decomposed granite mixed with schist and quartz and influenced by cooling fog that rolls off Monterey Bay, planted with vines known as Pisoni Clones that Gary is reputed (but has not confirmed) to have smuggled in from Burgundy's La Tache. Becoming known for supplying Pinot Noir grapes to some of the biggest names in California including Kosta Browne, Peter Michael and Siduri, Gary began making wine with his sons in 1998, his son Jeff eventually becoming the winemaker and brother Mark farming the grapes, their small production, vineyard expressive Lucia wines garnering unanimous critical acclaim and a loyal following. Crafted as a barrel selection from six of the 30 Pisoni parcels, the luscious entry level 95 pt. 2021 Lucia by Pisoni Estate Cuvee Pinot Noir offers rich, fragrant fruit with spice and mineral accents and a noteworthy lengthy finish, aged by Jeff in 62% new French oak and described by Jeb Dunnuck as "a smoking value in impeccably made, high-quality Pinot Noir that will beat the pants off many a Premier Cru Burgundy." Sourced from "one of the appellation's most esteemed properties" according to the Wine Enthusiast, the opulent 95 pt. 2021 Lucia by Pisoni Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir matured for 11 months in 45% new French oak to reveal rich and luxurious fruit hinting of earthy spice and wild herbs with fresh acidity and smooth polished tannins, the Soberanes vineyard a joint venture of Gary and his longtime friend Gary Franscioni, along with the aptly named Garys' Vineyard originally planted by the duo in 1997. Declared "another brilliant wine" by Jeb Dunnuck "with ripe tannins and a great finish," Jeff aged the richly textured 97 pt. 2021 Lucia by Pisoni Garys' Vineyard Pinot Noir for 11 months in 55% new French oak yielding deeply layered fruit and precise tannins promising to evolve over the next decade and beyond.
From "the source of some of California's finest Pinot Noirs" according to Josh Raynolds of Vinous, these Lucia Pinot Noir selections from the Pisoni family are masterful expressions of their Santa Lucia Highlands origins, uniquely combining the decades-long viticultural know how of the passionate Gary Pisoni and the talented winemaking and attentive farming of his two sons, truly a family affair yielding three exceptional Pinot Noirs from an outstanding vintage that more than overdeliver value.
Hedonistic and yet intellectual, this bold and brooding bottling manages to remain joyous. Aromas of muddled black cherry, sage, bay leaf and turned loam lead into a hearty palate loaded with boysenberry, crushed oregano and lemon peel. The acidity never stops on the compellingly complex finish.
97 points, Matt Kettmann, Wine Enthusiast (Dec 2023)
My favorite of the Pinot Noir releases, the 2021 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard comes from a terrific vineyard in the heart of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Mostly destemmed (10% whole clusters) and aged 11 months in 55% new French oak, it offers a gorgeous perfume of black raspberries, mulberries, spicy herbs, underbrush, and sandalwood that develops beautifully with time in the glass. These carry to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated Pinot Noir with ripe, polished tannins, terrific balance, and outstanding length. It's another stunning wine from this team.
96 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Sep 2023)
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