Spring 2014 releaSe

ASSEMBLING LUCIA WINES has nothing to do with assembly-line practic-

es. Henry Ford could produce a Model T in 93 minutes. His practices of division of

labor, repetition and mechanization are cost effective and efficient. But Gary, Mark

and Jeff Pisoni work together as a team dedicated to handcrafting their wines. The

2012 Lucia Soberanes Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah and the Santa Lucia High-

lands cuvées took two years in the making.

A truism rather than a timeworn cliché, winemaking does begin in the vineyard. Every

day, Mark walks through the blocks, examining the vines as though they were his two

small children. He looks at their growth, balance and cluster development. During the

summer, the viticulturist checks stress levels by observing a leaf blade’s angle to the

sun and its shade of green. Mark pinches the grape berries between his fingers to note

the tension in their skin, monitoring their ripeness. He and father Gary (left) smile

about the balanced vines of the Soberanes Vineyard, a result of their diligent care

and Mother Nature’s consistent weather patterns in 2012, which allowed the grapes

to glide into a ripeness zone of harmonious sugars, acid and tannin.

On a harvest morning, Jeff joins his older

brother in the vineyard. The winemaker

tosses grapes into his mouth, biting down

on the seeds to taste tannin development.

Crunchy seeds are a good sign, as they

won’t impart bitterness to the wine, and so

is the deep crimson color staining Jeff ’s fin-

gertips when he squeezes the grape skins.

There’s no instruction manual that tells

the Pisonis when the vines need water,

what a wine grape should taste like when

ready for harvest or when to drain a tank

of Pinot Noir (cover). Their decisions are

intuitive and informed by experience. And

all three agree that the 2012 harvest was

spectacular in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Jeff notes his favorite barrel selections, tasting and testing results in preparation to propose blends

for the 2012 vintage.

DESPITE THE INTOXICATING PERFUME OF THE WINERY, Jeff

always stays focused on the cues emanating from the fermentation tanks. The aromas

alone give early indicators of potential blends, and the winemaker notes and remembers

the heady scents of particular lots throughout the year.

Sight, taste and sound partner with smell. Jeff gauges the progress of the fermentation

by gazing into a tank and observing the color that has seeped from the berries. He con-

stantly tastes the individual lots, which consist of three to four tons of grapes fermented

together from one vineyard area. Once the winemaker transfers a lot from a tank to six

to eight oak barrels, he begins to develop a personal relationship with each one. Wine in

one barrel might taste really good immediately, and wine in another might come around

slowly or not shine at all. Jeff also listens to each barrel, placing his ear against the bung to

eavesdrop and hear the snap-crackle-pop of the fermenting wine. He tempers his sensory

observations with scientific testing. All the while, he takes copious notes and ponders

over selections for the final blend.

Eventually Jeff combines samples from the barrels and lots in composite bottles for

blend trials that continue for months. He sits down with Mark and Gary to taste, discuss

and decide upon the best blend for each Lucia wine. Sometimes they agree. Sometimes

they disagree—and defer to the winemaker’s expertise.

The wines are gently transferred, one barrel at a time (top right), to a stainless steel tank

for blending. Then two years of anticipation and hard work are bottled in a single day.

Whether in the vineyard or the winery, the personal touch requires more work and at-

tentiveness than if employing more mechanically efficient methods. Gary, Mark and Jeff

may not be able to produce a Lucia wine in 93 minutes, but they might sit in a Model T—

parked on a dirt road near their beloved vines—and sip from their 2012 vintage for that

length of time, while thinking about the two years it took to get there.

During the racking process (top), a “bulldog” uses inert argon gas to push the wine gently from the barrel to a bottling tank for blending. Bottling takes place within days.

Gleaming glass (bottom) and stainless steel tools—flasks, topping guns, racking arms, whisks and hose fittings—may look impersonal but require the human touch.

“Lucia is owned by the Pisoni family, which has farmed the region for three generations, along the way becoming masters of both grapegrowing and winemaking.”

-Wine Spectator (The Top 100 edition, December 31, 2013-January 15, 2014)

“Growers are now putting their experience to use in a newer, second generation of vineyards that have been developed over the last few years. Those vineyards—specifically I am thinking of sites like Soberanes . . . are among the most exciting because they reflect all that has been learned over the years.”

- Antonio Galloni, Vinous (July 2013)

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 908Gonzales, CA 93926

ph: 800.946.3130fax: 831.675.2557luciavineyards.com

Spring 2014Writer: Susan Pisoni Tavernetti

Design: Chelsea McKennaPhotography: Rachel Balunsat

and the Pisoni Family

SOBERANES VINEYARD SELECTIONS

2012 Lucia Soberanes Chardonnay: A pure and laser-like focus directs a channel of fresh lemon peel, crushed stones and citrus blossom. On the palate, the wine shows the elegance and texture we love from this vineyard: an initially broad profile that converges with the natural acidity to a tight finish. The Soberanes Vineyard Chardonnay inspires food pairings with its vibrant finish that carries on throughout the palate. Aspiring for purity and like all Lucia wines, the Chardonnay is unfiltered and may show a slight sediment.

2012 Lucia Soberanes Pinot Noir: Floral and vibrant, the crim-son-tinged Pinot Noir from the Soberanes Vineyard exudes the en-ticing aromas of a flower garden. It’s not easy to find wines that are predominately more floral than fruit, but the Soberanes Vineyard selections exemplify this—lavender, violet and rose petal—with a spice rack of undertones. A broad and lengthy palate ensues with strikingly strong tannins for structure, indicating the aging potential of the wine.

2012 Lucia Soberanes Syrah: A striking and pensive wine, the So-beranes Syrah shows an intimidatingly deep, opaque color but with such a delicate purple rim, as if to hint of the seductive fragrance to follow. The wine is exceptionally floral and perfumed with rich violet and blackberry essence. The palate has broad and powerful depth, yet a unique way of carrying such concentration without be-gin heavy. A seemingly infinite current of texture flows on the palate.

SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS CUVÉES

2012 Lucia Chardonnay: Green/gold in color and generous with its aroma, a consistent character of the 2012 vintage, the Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay is open and expressive with a complex array of bosc pear, jasmine, green apple and brioche. The palate is broad and approachable with notes of white peach that unfold into a long finish. This wine is a blend of fruit from the Pisoni and Soberanes vineyards.

2012 Lucia Pinot Noir: This wine is a great example of the remarkable 2012 vintage. The aromas leap from the glass, envel-oping the taster with a rich and pure bouquet of fresh fruit laced with soft notes of Earl Grey tea and spice. With fruit from the Pisoni, Garys’ and Soberanes vineyards, the Lucia Pinot Noir possesses a harmonious balance between the deep concentration of flavor and the firm tannin and acidity, ultimately showing the potential to cellar and develop for many years.

ROSÉ

2013 Lucy Rosé of Pinot Noir: Light strawberry in color, the 2013 Lucy Rosé is fresh and bright with highlights of rose pet-al, near-ripe strawberry, orange peel and seashells. The palate is crisp with refreshing acidity, indicating a wonderful pair with a wide variety of dishes and occasions. Enjoy chilled.