Pisoni Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir 2002
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Dark and dramatic. This is an enormous wine, superextracted in cherry, blackberry and mocha flavors, but totally dry. Almost Syrah-like, except for the silky tannins. Not particularly nuanced now, but the gamble is on ageability.
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Pisoni Estate is the eponymous Pinot Noir made by the Pisoni Family and sourced from their Pisoni Vineyard. The site was founded and first planted by Gary Pisoni in 1982. His sons have since taken over the family business with Mark as vineyard manager and Jeff the winemaker. To the Pisoni’s, viticulture and winemaking must be seen as a whole, rather than as separate parts. This is essential to producing the best wine possible. The goal of Pisoni Estate is to create a great wine that represents this vineyard, a commitment to the land, and the passion of their family.
The Pisoni family approaches winemaking as an art, a science, and a craft. As such, from planting to pruning to harvesting, they work by hand, in accordance both with Burgundian tradition and their own ongoing understanding of what will best sustain this land they love and respect.
Successful wine is the result of holistic thinking and a synergy of parts. Vineyard manager Mark and vintner Jeff, his brother, work in close collaboration to pass on their father Gary’s vision. Just as Mark approaches growing and harvesting in the vineyards block-by-block, Jeff vinifies in small lots, hand-sorting grapes, observing, tasting, and testing them as they undergo native yeast fermentation, and supervising punch-down by hand. Their wine is the product of their joint sustained and meticulous attention.
Let’s start with the obvious – Central Coast Pinot Noir is an incredibly broad category. This of course is because the Central Coast appellation is enormous, and it contains several stellar Pinot Noir regions within it, all of them kept cool by elevation or proximity to the ocean (or both). So we’ll break things down a bit with a brief look at each of these: Santa Cruz Mountains, Monterey and the Santa Lucia Highlands, Santa Maria Valley and Sta. Rita Hills. These are not the only Central Coast sources of good Pinot Noir, but they are the major ones. So let’s get started.
In the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation, just west of Silicon Valley, producers craft excellent Pinot in spite of serious challenges. The land is mountainous, rugged and can be foggy, the topsoil is thin and poor and yields tend to be low. Yet Pinots from the likes of David Bruce, Martin Ray, Mount Eden and Thomas Fogarty exhibit undeniable quality, along with bright red fruit, minerality, earth and herbal hints.
Just south lies the large Monterey appellation. Monterey Pinot Noir is grown in coastal areas, taking optimal advantage of the cooling effect of the Pacific. The most highly regarded of these is the Santa Lucia Highlands. Situated on hilly benchlands south of the city of Monterey, this central coast region relies on a long growing season, night and morning fog and consistent afternoon winds to produce world class Pinot Noir. Attributes include intense, rich fruit, subtle earthy notes, spice and a silky texture. Look for producers like Siduri, Kosta Browne, Talbott and Lucienne.
The Santa Maria Valley in northern Santa Barbara County (a section of it falls into southern San Luis Obispo County) is also a haven for quality Pinot Noir. A mere 15 miles from the Pacific, the valley runs east-west, creating a natural tunnel through which ocean breezes and fog flow. This effect lengthens the growing season and promotes both ripeness and development of acidity, lending Santa Maria Valley Pinots their characteristic full flavor, balance and elegance. The famous Bien Nacido Vineyard is located here, and notable producers include Cambria, Foxen, Byron and Au Bon Climat.
Finally, we arrive at the Sta. Rita Hills, also in Santa Barbara County. Located in the western part of the Santa Ynez Valley, it too benefits from an east-west orientation that leads to the same conditions mentioned above. Once again the result is extended hang time for the grapes, which can be tasted in the vibrant, ripe red fruits evident in these Pinots, along with dense coloration and an impression of richness and intensity. Try wines from producers like Ken Brown, Ampelos, Fess Parker and Melville.
As you can see, California’s Central Coast offers a wealth of options for any lover of Pinot Noir. Cheers!