Lucia Pinot Noir Garys' 2009

Santa Lucia Highlands, California Very limited (Robert Parker 96 on the 2008!) We just tasted this newly released 2009 vintage with winemaker Jeff Pisoni in April 2011 and it's another gorgeous wine gem! Lucia Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard is a wine gem with a great story behind it. When in 1979 Jane and Eddie Pisoni purchased the land that is now Pisoni Vineyards, they never imagined the property would one day produce some of the finest New World Pinot Noir grapes. The Garys' Vineyard is a joint venture between two native growers of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Gary Pisoni and Gary Franscioni planted this 50-acre vineyard to Pinot Noir and Syrah in 1997. Its location on a sloping hillside in the center of the 16-mile long appellation gives the vineyard a true representation of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Lucia was founded in 2000, when the Pisoni family began producing several small bottlings. The 2009 vintage produced 650 cases. The Garys' Vineyard Pinot Noir is the flagship wine of Lucia Vineyards & Winery. This site produces wines with vibrant, floral aromatics, a lush, rich texture and firm acidity. The wines possess the tannins to age gracefully and gain in complexity for several years. This Pinot is very seductive and darker in color than most previous vintages. It has a core of raspberries, black cherries, forest floor and baking spices on the nose. It is rich and dense in the mouth with good grip. The tannins are firm in one of the more powerful recent vintages, giving this Pinot additional aging potential. Aged in French oak barrels, the wine has good length on a silky finish. Enjoy Lucia Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard with roast pork, grilled salmon, veal Milanese and cheeses.