PISONI Lucia Estate Cuvee Chardonnay - Santa Lucia Highlands 2022 Bottle

Description

The 2022 Chardonnay Estate Cuvée, a blend from the Pisoni and Soberanes vineyards, is an exceptional expression of the Santa Lucia Highlands, earning 95 points from Decanter. This wine showcases vivid aromas of fresh Meyer lemon, lemon oil, and lime blossom, complemented by crushed sea salt and toasty oak. The palate is rich and medium-bodied, evoking the essence of creamy lemon bars dusted with powdered sugar, transitioning to flavours of quince and salted lemon peel, all lifted by crystalline acidity. James Suckling rates it 93 points, praising its inviting nose of lemon curd and sweet spices. Vinous also awards 93 points for its peach and apricot notes, while both the Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast score it 92 points, highlighting its delightful complexity and balance.

PISONI
Pisoni is a distinguished winery located in the Valtellina region of Lombardy, Italy, renowned for producing high-quality wines primarily from Nebbiolo, locally known as Chiavennasca. Founded in 1986 by the Pisoni family, the estate emphasizes the unique terroir of Valtellina, characterized by steep, terraced vineyards and diverse microclimates. The winery is dedicated to sustainable viticulture, employing traditional farming practices to ensure the production of exceptional grapes. Pisoni's wines are celebrated for their elegance, complexity, and ability to reflect the mountainous environment. Their flagship wine, Valtellina Superiore, showcases rich flavors of red fruits, floral notes, and firm tannins, often aged in oak barrels. Pisoni has garnered acclaim, appealing to enthusiasts seeking authentic expressions of Valtellina's heritage.

The Lucia Chardonnay Estate Cuvée continually provides a remarkable expression of the two famed vineyard sites within the Santa Lucia Highlands. The 2022 vintage proves to be no exception. Harnessed within its brilliant straw complexion, fresh aromas of red apple skin, ginger and crushed rock emerge, followed by undertones of brûléed citrus and melon. On the palate, the Soberanes Vineyard component blend offers stony minerality while the higher elevation slopes of the Pisoni Vineyard lend rounder notes of white peach and lemon oil. A rich, textured mouthfeel from 12 months of aging in 40% new French oak brings depth and a complexity that is only amplified by the vibrant and youthful acidity present on the finish.

DECANTER 95 points
Tasted by: Jonathan Cristaldi
(at Novato, California, 19 May 2025)
Drinking Window: 2025 - 2033
Born from just 0.81ha of low-yielding Chardonnay vines planted in rocky soils at the Pisoni family’s mountain vineyard, this wine—clocking in at 14.1% alcohol—is a beautifully lush, full-bodied yet racy expression of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Vivid notes of fresh Meyer lemon, lemon peel, and lemon oil are accented by lime blossom, crushed sea salt, and toasty oak with a whisper of vanilla. The palate offers rich, medium-intensity weight, settling like the perfect bite of a creamy lemon bar dusted with powdered sugar. That decadent flavour lingers momentarily at the core before giving way to a rush of quince and salted lemon peel, propelled by crystalline, ginger-like acidity that glides to a thoroughly satisfying finish. Fermented with native yeasts following whole-cluster pressing, the wine was aged in 40% new French oak with minimal bâtonnage. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered, crafted by Jeff Pisoni, and produced around four barrels.

JAMES SUCKLING 93 points
The nose is generous and inviting, with aromas of lemon curd, toffee apples and sweet spices. The palate is medium-bodied with fresh acidity and a generous texture, showing aromas of limes, meringue, nectarines and minerals. Drink or hold.

VINOUS 93 points
Drinking Window 2024 - 2034
From: Santa Lucia Highlands: Steely and Steadfast in 2022 (Aug 2024)
The 2022 Chardonnay Estate Cuvée is a blend of fruit from Soberanes and Pisoni—some of the very first vines Gary Pisoni ever planted are in this blend, including a block of 40-year-old vines. Lively but rounded, the 2022 opens with notes of sweet peach, apricot, chamomile and toasted almond. Aged for a year in 30% new French oak, its gentle curves are so attractive. Lively acids keep things bright all the way through, and I dig the little lick of salinity on the finish. Effortlessly balance. - By Billy Norris on July 2024

THE WINE ADVOCATE 92 points
Reviewed by: Matthew Luczy
Drink Date: 2024 - 2030
The 2022 Chardonnay Estate Cuvée combines fruit from the Pisoni and Sobranes Vineyards and spent 11 months in 30% new oak. The nose brings together stone fruit, hazelnut and pastry cream aromas, transitioning to a creamy, toasty palate that remains light on its feet. It finishes with a honeyed richness supported by a subtle phenolic grip and lovely clarity.

WINE ENTHUSIAST 92 points
Lovely yellow flower aromas meet with lightly buttered white peach on the nose of this blend of the family's estate properties. The palate lands with broad strokes of gardenia, coconut and more peach, as the acidity gives a brisk angle. — Matt Kettmann