In 1982, Gary Pisoni planted a 6-acre parcel of vineyards on the rocky, water-scarce mountainous slopes of the Santa Lucia Highlands, 1,300 feet above the Salinas Valley floor. This parcel of decomposed granite soils was expanded to 35-acres of individually farmed blocks of vines and became revered as America’s Grand Cru site in the Santa Lucia Highlands by wine critic Robert Parker Jr.

A benchmark for California Pinot Noir, the 2022 Pisoni Estate Pinot Noir is a masterful expression of the terroir of the Santa Lucia Highlands. The dark garnet shadow of this wine unveils alluring aromas of dried rose petals, lilacs and freshly picked peonies. It is gently opulent with a luscious edge of crushed black plums and wild blueberry compote along with an underpinning of cocoa powder and ground cinnamon. The warm baking spices add another level of intrigue to this wine. There is a tactile richness and complexity in the mid-palate which is velvety smooth. The wines sleek progression leads you along a long and memorable journey to a graceful finish. This well-crafted Pinot Noir retains a youthful and uber serious personality begging you to be patient as it is still in its adolescence. If you close your eyes this wine might remind you of a Musigny Grand Cru. All of the wines from the Pisoni Family have an uncompromising level of quality and are the ultimate expression of the terroir from the Santa Lucia Highlands. Congrats to the Pisoni team on this achievement.

By W Peter Hoyne