Pisoni

Santa Lucia Highlands

Owned by: Gary Pisoni

Vineyard Manager: Mark Pisoni

Varietals: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay (Pisoni clone)

Gary Pisoni is a legend. Stories of his life could easily be featured in John Steinbeck’s novels or made into an epic Hollywood movie. Old-fashioned deals through handshakes and eye-to-eye contact with Gary, his wife Margarette, and his sons, Mark, the vineyard manager, and Jeff, the winemaker for Pisoni, are quintessential of the family’s style of business. This privileged, sun and windswept location has a most unique vibration that brings one back to the pioneering years of the California West. The combination between the site, the French clone brought in a suitcase from a famous “Grand Cru” vineyard in Burgundy gives the wine a full-bodied, exuberant and complex style with rich dark berry aromas.  Since the 2011 vintage, I am also privileged to make a few special barrels of Chardonnay that are on par with the Pinot Noir.