Lucia Vineyards: Real Farming, Real Family, Real Wine. Spring 2015

1. Wine.REAL FARMING. REAL FAMILY. REAL

2. FARMING IS WHAT WE DO. The alarm goes off at 4:30
a.m. Every morning. Mark Pisoni needs his sleep. He hopes the diesel
pump motor on the south side of his old farmhouse hums regularly
throughout the night, while pumping well water to irrigate the vegetable
fields of Pisoni Farms. If the pump randomly kicks off, the third-
generation farmer wakes up with a start, as though he can no longer
hear one of his children breathing.
Mark grew up on the Salinas Valley ranch, and he returned to it after
earning a B.S. in Agricultural Economics from the University of
California, Davis, and an M.S. in Farm Business Management at Cornell
University. He (top row, left photo on next page) and younger brother
Jeff—the Pisoni Estate, Lucia and Lucy winemaker—once played in the
fields that he now farms. Some kids ride tricycles. Mark pedaled a little
John Deere tractor, often hauling his sibling around in its trailer.
By 5 a.m. Mark leaves footprints in the fields. He walks the rows of
vegetables in the steps of his late grandfather Eddie, who tilled the
same soil and planted lettuce, broccoli, asparagus and other crops after
establishing Pisoni Farms in 1952. A celery crop profit allowed Eddie
and wife Jane to purchase the Santa Lucia Highlands property that their
son Gary would transform into Pisoni Vineyards.
For years, grandfather and grandson would check the Pisoni Farms
fields together before heading south along River Road, the two-lane
strip of asphalt that hugs the bench land of the Santa Lucia Highlands.
First they would stop at Garys’ Vineyard, and then they would wind up
the mountains to Pisoni Vineyards at 1,300 feet above sea level.
There they shared more than a familial bond. Love for the land. Wisdom
passed from generation to generation. And the conviction that there
was nothing they would rather be than farmers.
“. . . the Pisoni family, masters of the
Santa Lucia Highlands appellation . . .”
- Jon Bonné, San Francisco Chronicle

3. FARMING FOR QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY
The ghost of the Soberanes Vineyard gradually appears through the
morning veil of fog that contributes to the cool Santa Lucia High-
lands climate preferred by Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah varietals.
Mark turns onto the dirt road for his daily inspection of the Pisoni
Family’s newest vineyard project adjacent to the Garys’ Vineyard.
Mark hops from the pickup to begin his walk through the rows. It’s
so quiet that he can hear the red-tailed hawk’s wings flap, as the raptor
flies overhead in search of gophers.
The viticulturist digs his hands into the gravelly, granite-laden soil to
check for moisture. Some depend on soil probes, weather forecasts
and the data on their computer screens. But Mark prefers to trust his
senses, particularly touching and seeing. His closeness to nature and
familiarity with the land and vines allow him to make the best deci-
sions every day—decisions that will affect the grapes and, ultimately,
the wine crafted from them.
Rarely do back-to-back years provide such beautiful growing condi-
tions as 2012 and 2013. A warm, dry spring combined with uniform
growing days. No heat spikes. No unseasonal rain, although the Cal-
ifornia drought did pose challenges. Because the vintage could have
been a generous one, Mark dropped fruit so the flavors of the remain-
ing crop would be exceptional. The level of tannins was high, contrib-
uting to the structure and complexity of the 2013 Lucia Soberanes
Vineyard selections, Lucia cuvées and Lucy Rosé of Pinot Noir.
“I love what I do,” says Mark. “Every day I’m working with my fam-
ily, the land, this environment. My favorite part is that we’re creating
something special from this place and get to share it with others.”
After a long day in the fields of Pisoni Farms and the blocks of
Garys’, Soberanes and Pisoni Vineyards, Mark returns to his farm-
house to unwind with his wife Quinn and children Davis (top row,
middle) and Avery Ann (top row, right, with Mark). For relaxation and
family time, they head outdoors to work in their garden and harvest
whatever corn, tomatoes, carrots, beans or squash that might be ready
to serve for dinner. After all, farming is what they do.

4. Release Schedule
To emphasize our dedication and long-term
commitment to each of our three Santa
Lucia Highlands vineyards, we offer our
Lucia and Pisoni wines according to the
vineyard from which the grapes are sourced:
SPRING:
Soberanes Vineyard wines and Lucia
“Santa Lucia Highlands” cuvées
SUMMER:
Garys’ Vineyard wines
FALL:
Pisoni Vineyards wines
Lucia Vineyards & Winery
PO Box 908
Gonzales, CA 93926
ph: 800.946.3130
fax: 831.675.2557
luciavineyards.com
Spring 2015
Writer: Susan Pisoni Tavernetti
Design: Chelsea McKenna
Photography Credits
Cover: Juan Ricardo Ramirez
Interior & Back Cover:
Richard Green, Pisoni Family
SOBERANES VINEYARD SELECTIONS
2013 Lucia Soberanes Chardonnay: This was a beautiful year for
the Chardonnay vines at the Soberanes Vineyard. Bright and vibrant on the
nose, the wine gives a racy, pure and mineral-driven character true to the granite-
laden soil where the vines reside. While swirling the glass, floral, citrus and light-
passionfruit notes express themselves. On the palate, the wine has great depth
that blends seamlessly with the long finish. The also-present vibrant acidity
ensures a long evolution for those who decide to age a few bottles in their cellar,
where the wine will age gracefully over the next decade.
2013 Lucia Soberanes Pinot Noir: A beautiful and expressive wine. Pure
aromas of wild strawberry, lavender, rose petal and forest floor evolve from the
crimson-colored 2013 Lucia Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir. The wine possesses
an exuberant nose with a high-toned character that further lifts the aromatics. The
presence on the palate is open and expansive with fine-grained tannins reaching and
coating the palate. We select specific barrels of the Soberanes Vineyard for how they
showcase this property, and this wine is an excellent representation of the site, which
yields wines of incredible elegance and intensity.
2013 Lucia Soberanes Syrah: Intense and seductive, the 2013 Lucia
Soberanes Vineyard Syrah is inky dark in color and explosive in aromatics.
The drier season brought maturity earlier than normal for Syrah, allowing us
to ferment with nearly 100% whole cluster fermentation (successful whole
cluster fermentation requires the stems to be mature, as well). This builds
on top of the normal floral and spice notes that are common for this site
and brings violet, licorice, leather and spice notes to the wine this year. The
palate is immensely structured and powerful with much concentration and
tannin. The finish seems to evolve endlessly, and this wine will certainly be
one to age for many years. Decant if opening when young.
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS CUVÉES
2013 Lucia Chardonnay: Light green-gold with an unfiltered,
slightly cloudy appearance, the Lucia 2013 Chardonnay begins with
expressive and concentrated aromas of citrus blossom, lemon oil, stone
fruit and the slightest vanilla undertones. The aromas then give way to a
palate both full bodied and light on its feet. This delicate balance results
from drier growing conditions giving concentration and cool weather
that retains the wine’s freshness. This wine is the richer of the two
Chardonnays in this release and will drink well over the next 5-7 years.
2013 Lucia Pinot Noir: Sage and spice highlights uplift the complex
aromatic blend of boysenberry and Bing cherry. The 2013 Lucia Pinot Noir
is a blend of fruit from the Pisoni, Garys’ and Soberanes Vineyards. This
vintage displays both intensity (energy and structure) and purity—a result of
the drought conditions in California that brings concentration of flavor and
strong, age-worthy tannins while retaining bright and fresh aromatics. The
wine is a great representation of the versatility of the Santa Lucia Highlands,
where the wines can both be intense and refined at the same time.
ROSÉ
2014 Lucy Rosé of Pinot Noir: Bright and fresh. Wild strawberry,
peach, watermelon rind and rose petals leap from the glass. The Lucy
rosé is made from 100% Pinot Noir using two different methods: A
gentle whole-cluster pressing of the Pinot Noir clusters and also
saignée (removing juice after the berries go to tank). This results in a
surprisingly complex rosé. Fermentation is carried out in neutral barrels
that are at least 10 years old, providing for the utmost purity in the wine
and preventing any competition from the wood. The palate is crisp,
fresh and ready to pair with a wide array of fun and serious dishes.