Winemaker Notes
The Vineyard
The Silacci Vineyard is the northernmost vineyard planted in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Most of the vineyard faces east to southeast, capturing a good amount of sun on what is a very cool site. Half of the 22 acre vineyard, and where our block lies, is planted to the famous "Pisoni clone". If you're lucky, you may run across the Pisoni patriarch—Gary, larger than life and alarmingly friendly or his distant cousin, Robert "Sacci" Silacci who could not be a nicer guy. The wine here is medium-bodied compared to the heavier Garys' and the huge Pisoni, more aromatic with higher acidity and dried herb tones with red plum fruit on the palate.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
A geographic and climatic paradise for grape vines, Monterey is a part of the greater Central Coast AVA and contains within it five smaller sub-appellations, including Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, San Bernabe, Hames Valley and the famous Santa Lucia Highlands. The climate is relatively warm but tempered by cool, coastal winds, allowing the regions in Monterey County an exceptionally long growing season. Bud break often happens two weeks sooner and harvest tends to be two weeks later compared to other surrounding regions.
Monterey’s coastal side, where the cooling ocean fog allows grapes to develop a perfect sugar-acid balance, excels in the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Warmer, inland subzones are home to fleshy, concentrated and full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel.
Chardonnay, covering about 40% of vineyard acreage, is the most widely planted grape in all of Monterey County.