Saturday, January 05, 2008

Pisoni Vineyards and Winery 2004 Estate Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir


Last night we opened a bottle with dinner that I had very high expectations of. I have had several vintages of the Pisoni Vineyards and Winery Estate Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir before, and they have always been great. I assumed and hoped that the 2004 wouldn't let me down either.

The color in the glass is a vivid deep garnet.
The nose exudes black cherry, dark raspberry, notes of blackberry, sweet violet, and a touch of tobacco (?).
On the palate big, broad fruit and berries with ripe cherry, dark raspberry, vanilla, an earthy touch, and slight tart fruit at the finish. The acidity is plentiful and the tannins integrated with a young edge to them. This wine has a great backbone and complexity, and I wish I had another bottle to open up in a year or two to see how it develops.

As you understand this wine did not disappoint me what so ever and I would say that this is one of the more complex vintages of this wine. The earlier ones that I have had have been even more ripe, lush and fruit forward but perhaps lesser in depth and complexity.
My first encounter with this wine was the 2001 vintage at The Kitchen restaurant in Sacramento and I distinctively remember saying out load as I had my first sip: -This tastes like liquid blueberry pie! This vintage definitely does not warrant that expression but definitely shows its fair share of beautiful fruit and berries.

Find it while you can at RobertsMarket.com for $64.99 or at BlackTieWines.net for $76.99.


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