Pisoni Vineyards and Winery facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pisoni Vineyards
Location	Gonzales, CA, United States
Appellation	Santa Lucia Highlands, California
Other labels	Lucia, Lucy
Founded	1982
First vintage	1998 Pinot Noir
Key people	Gary Pisoni (Founder) Jeff Pisoni (Head Winemaker) Mark Pisoni (Vineyard Manager)
Varietals	Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah
Other products	Iceberg Lettuce, Romaine Lettuce, Broccoli, Cauliflower
Tasting	For mailing list members only, by reservation

Pisoni Estate is a family-owned vineyard and winery in California. It is located in the Santa Lucia Highlands area, near the Monterey Coast. Gary Pisoni started the vineyard in 1982. He wanted to grow wine grapes instead of just vegetables.

He chose to plant grapes in the mountains above the Salinas Valley. This area was thought to be bad for farming because of its dry, rocky soil. But Gary believed it could work. The vineyard first grew small amounts of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir. Over time, they focused on Pinot Noir, which they are now famous for.

For many years, Gary sold his grapes to other winemakers. Then, in 1998, the Pisoni family started making their own wine. Their first wine was the Pisoni Estate Pinot Noir. This is still the only wine made under the Pisoni Estate name.

Today, Pisoni Estate covers 40 acres in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. It has 30 smaller sections, each farmed carefully. A famous wine critic, Robert Parker, even called Pisoni Estate wines among America’s best.

The Pisoni Family Story

The Pisoni family has been farming for a long time. In 1952, Eddie and Jane Pisoni started their farm, Pisoni Farms. It was on land owned by Jane's family in Gonzales, California. They grew many vegetables like lettuce, broccoli, and cauliflower.

In 1979, the Pisonis bought more land in the Santa Lucia Mountains. This land had dry, rocky slopes. Most people thought it was not good for growing crops. But in 1982, Gary Pisoni, Eddie and Jane's son, had a different idea.

Gary loved wine and wanted to grow grapes. He thought the rocky soil and cool, foggy weather were perfect for wine grapes. He believed it was like the famous wine region of Burgundy. His family was not sure, but Gary was determined to succeed.

Finding Water for the Vineyard

Growing grapes in the mountains was hard at first. Gary could not find water on the property. For nine years, he drove water tankers from the valley to water his young vines. He tried many times to dig wells to find water.

Finally, in 1991, on his sixth try, he found water! It was 8 feet under the soil and 490 feet deep in solid granite. This was a huge step for the vineyard.

Gary's grapes became very popular. Other winemakers wanted to buy them. His reputation grew, and he became known as one of the first top grape growers in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Many people say that the success of Pinot Noir in this area is thanks to Gary Pisoni.

Today, Gary's sons run the business. Mark Pisoni manages the vineyards. His brother, Jeff Pisoni, makes the Pisoni Estate wines. Some California winemakers still buy grapes from Pisoni Vineyards.

Where Pisoni Grapes Grow

The Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is a special area for growing grapes. It is a 12-mile long terraced region above the Salinas River. It is close to Monterey Bay. This area has a long growing season for grapes.

The mornings are sunny, but the afternoons bring cool fog and breezes. This comes from the North Pacific. This cool air slows down how fast the grapes ripen. Grapes here can be harvested six weeks later than in other parts of California. The soil is very rocky and drains water well. It is high up, from 40 to 1300 feet above the valley.

Pisoni Vineyards is located very high up, at 1300 feet above sea level. It gets lots of sun and is perfect for their famous Pisoni Estate Pinot Noir. Pisoni Vineyards also sells grapes to other well-known wineries.

The Pisoni family also works with another grower, Gary Franscioni. Together, they farm two other vineyards: Garys’ Vineyard and Soberanes Vineyard. These vineyards mostly grow Pinot Noir, but also some Chardonnay and Syrah. Grapes from these vineyards are used for Pisoni Estate's other wine labels, Lucia and Lucy.

Mark Pisoni, the Vineyard Manager, studied farming in college. He uses sustainable farming methods. This means he farms in a way that protects the environment. He uses these methods in all three vineyards and on the family's vegetable farm.

How Pisoni Wines Are Made

Jeff Pisoni is the Head Winemaker for Pisoni Estate, Lucia, and Lucy wines. He studied winemaking and worked at other wineries before joining his family's business.

Jeff makes wine using special, careful methods. Grapes are picked by hand and sorted by hand. Grapes from each small section of the vineyard are crushed separately. The wines are then fermented using natural yeasts. They are aged in barrels on their own. The finished wine is bottled without being filtered.

Pisoni Estate has a sister label called Lucia. Lucia makes Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah wines from the Soberanes and Garys’ vineyards. They also make blends from all three vineyards. Lucia's first wine was a 2000 Pinot Noir.

Since 2003, the Pisonis have also made a special Rosé wine each year. This wine is sold under a second sister-label called Lucy. A part of the money from Lucy wine sales goes to help fight breast cancer.