We started purchasing fruit from the Garys’ Vineyard in 1999, two years after we first purchased Santa
Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir from the Pisoni Vineyard. Although we knew the vineyards would be different
we never imagined exactly how much so until a few years later.
While both Pisoni and Garys’ are planted to the Pisoni-selection of Pinot Noir, and both are farmed with
meticulous care by Mark Pisoni and Gary Franscioni, that is where the similarity seems to end. The
Garys’ Vineyard inevitably ripens later than the Pisoni Vineyard and produces more high-toned, redfruited,
higher acid wines. Over the last few vintages we have been working hard to take advantage of
these differences, fine-tuning our winemaking to emphasize the unique character of the Garys’ Vineyard
and produce an even more complex Pinot Noir. In 2007 the vineyard surprised us ripening the section
that has always been picked later (planted on 3309 rootstock) faster than the section planted on 5C rootstock.
That had never happened before.
Although yields were naturally low in 2007 we further increased the concentration of the wine by bleeding
off 10% of the juice. We also slightly increased the use of whole clusters in the wine as the extended
2007 growing season allowed the stems to fully ripen in the wine. There is also less oak on the 2007 Pinot
than its 2006 predecessor.
The 2007 Garys’ Vineyard Pinot Noir is incredibly complex aromatically with a mix of earth, herbs, and
fruit. In the mouth the wine continues this complex interplay with concentrated cherry, raspberry, and
blackberry fruits. These are joined by a forest floor character and a slight funk (in a positive, James
Brown sort of way). This wine is still a youngster and while the tannins would not interfere with current
drinking, we believe it will only be better with 3 to 5 years in the cellar.
94 Points Wine Spectator
466 casesJanuary 2009
Intense and structured, supple and balanced, with full-bodied spice, wild berry and blackberry fruit that's focused and expansive, gaining depth and complexity and ending with a long, full, lingering finish. Drink now through 2015. 466 cases made. –JL
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