Pisoni 2021 Estate Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands 96+ Points

Jeb Dunnuck 96+ Points: “Another brilliant wine from this family, the 2021 Chardonnay comes all from the estate Pisoni Vineyard in the southern part of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Unfortunately, it’s made in tiny quantities, but I consistently think it ranks with the finest Chardonnay in California. Honeyed lemon, pear, flowers, crushed stone, and a beautiful kiss of toasted walnuts define the aromatics, and it’s medium-bodied, vibrant, and elegant, with a liquid rock-like sense of minerality on the finish. It plays in the more elegant, focused, lengthy style of the vintage and is slightly closed and tight at present. Give bottles another 2-3 years in the cellar and enjoy through 2031. It’s a beautiful Chardonnay.”

Winery Notes: “The Pisoni Estate Chardonnay is crafted each year from the secluded, high elevation blocks of our mountainous vineyard. The rocky terrain provides fruit of structure, maturity, and complexity. A preview of this wine’s rich and powerful character is displayed through its deep lemon core with undeniable youth, tension, and vibrancy. Aromas of lemon peel, ripe melon, and pear tart create a fleshy approachability that is harnessed by restrained notes of Honeycrisp apple and a stony, almost saline, mineral undertone. On the palate, flavors of grilled white peach pair harmoniously with notes of brioche and candied ginger. A long, racy edge of fresh acidity keeps the voluminous components of this wine in a delicate balance, while 17 months of sur-lie aging in 50% new French oak barrels provide added texture to an already lengthy and complex finish.”