Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/580744
66 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015 our visit to Costa Vineyard was an oppor- tunity to learn about another grower whose history in Salinas Valley dates back several generations. Costa spoke about his family's long tradition of dairy ranching and row cropping, and their eventual transition to wine grapes. J. Lohr's President/Director of Winemaking Jeff Meier and Red Winemaker Steve Peck chimed in about how they advised Costa every step of the way, starting with J. Lohr founder Jerry Lohr himself coming out to dig 50 backhoe pits to examine soil pock - ets, then working with Costa on the vine- yard layout, clone and rootstock selections. Costa recalls, "By the time we were done getting the property ready for planting, we found that some parts of it were 75% rocks and 25% soil—much more suitable for grapes than row crops." PISONI ESTATE. No visit to Santa Lucia Highlands is complete without a visit to our final stop of the day: the Pisoni Estate, located at one of the highest points of the south end of the appellation. This iconic vineyard is owned by the redoubtable Gary Pisoni and managed by his son Mark Pisoni, with fruit going to a handful of top-notch producers as well as to the family's own Pisoni, Lucia and Lucy labels, crafted by younger son Jeff Pisoni. The Pisoni family's plantings are spaced in irregularly shaped blocks perched on hilltops, swales and ridgelines at 900- to 1,300-foot elevations, seemingly every - where a vine can cling without falling into a gulch choked with flowery spiked black sage, gray-green waves of California sage, scrubby manzanita and indefatigable stands of valley oaks—indigenous flora contribut - ing as much to the acclaimed Pisoni terroir as the brightly exposed, wind-scrubbed location of the property, which has come to associated with the screamingly aromatic Pinot Noirs, pungent Syrahs and ultra- minerally styles of Chardonnay grown on Santa Lucia Highlands' southern flanks. Gary Pisoni greeted our sommeliers on a craggy bluff in his signature attire— Hawaiian shirt, shorts and sandals—and tasted us on what may have been the most refreshing dry pink wine in the world (most certainly, for that moment), a pristinely scented Lucy 2014 Rosé of Pinot Noir. He began by telling us about conversations he would have in the 1970s with his father, a longtime farmer on the Salinas Valley floor, about his plans to plant vines on the hillsides: "He said, 'Son, aren't you satisfied with growing 1,000 acres of lettuce—why would you want to grow grapes in those hills?' I said, 'Dad, have you ever attended a black tie/head lettuce dinner?'" From there, we followed Gary and Mark Pisoni through their Chardonnay block— extremely low-yielding, miniscule bunches of heirloom Old Wente selections (hens and chicks!)—to the family's Shangri-La–like vineyard bungalow, consisting of waterfalls and caves originally dug into the mountain - side to make wine and store barrels, but now, the elder Pisoni admits, "serving as a big giant playhouse." Under a wood awning entwined in sprawling arms of table grapes, the Pisonis served us slices of house- made boar sausages right off the grill, with stony, lip smacking, lemon drop–scented estate-grown Chards (a regal Pisoni 2012 Chardonnay, and a lower key, immaculate Luli 2013 Chardonnay), plus 2007 and 2013 vintages of Lucia Susan's Hill Syrah (head-shaking infusions of opulent fruit, bloody meat, peppercorn, crackling-toasted sage and herbes de Provence). But wait, there's more: our sommeliers were then ushered into the Pisoni man- cave to sit at a long, Viking hall–style table, where they were treated to a vertical of Pisoni Estate Pinot Noirs (2002, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2012). According to Ellen Landis, founder and Sommelier of Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn in Half Moon Bay: "It wasn't surprising to find that the warmer climate in the southernmost part of the AVA displays riper fruit and intensity. What deserves significant applause is how remarkably these wines can age. After 13 years, Pisoni's 2002 Pinot Noir was seduc - tive and simply gorgeous, thanks to its impressive balance of fruit intensity, well- defined tannins and acids." Ms. Morel tells us, "The 2006 was my favorite with a lovely balance of fruit, florals, earth, spice, acid, alcohol, and body." Ms. Puricelli found the 2005 Pisoni Pinot Noir "alive and vibrant with energetic acidity and plush tannin mouthfeel after ten years, just like its 2002 counterpart." She adds, "You cannot forget the wild sage, wildflowers and lavender surrounding the property because these things were also captured in the aromas of these wines—a mind- blowing expression of terroir!" DINNER AT PESSAGNO WINERY. Our final day ended with a wine country style barbecue dinner at Pessagno Winery hosted by owner Ray Franscioni, where another 60 or so Santa Lucia Highlands grown wines awaited to be tasted. We did our best. If I were to pick just three, which seemed to encapsulate the region, these would be my choices from that night: Nacina 2013 Tondre Grapefields Riesling (by Tudor) – Crystal clear fusel- floral varietal perfume; lemony tart, lean and light feeling (12.2% alcohol), yet charged with mineral and fruit qualities, finishing barely off-dry despite 1.8% residual sugar (Riesling shall return!). Owner-grower David Costa (left) with Jeff Meier, J. Lohr President, COO and Director of Winemaking, at the Costa Vineyard. A sign at Pisoni Estate says it all. The Luli Pisoni Vineyard Chardonnay.