2022 Lucy Pico Blanco

THE PLACE: Pico Blanco is Monterey. Fruit is sourced from two viticultural areas within the county: the Santa Lucia Highlands and Arroyo Seco. The result is a wine with great representation of Monterey climate and geology. Climate for the county is predominately influenced by the famous Monterey Bay. The Monterey Bay is a large funnel, sending prevailing ocean breezes into the regions. This brings cool fog and air throughout the growing season.

The Santa Lucia Highlands get the brunt of this wind, and also provide beautiful east-sloping hillsides for the vines. The soils of the Santa Lucia Highlands are decomposed granite—a rare find in coastal California that was brought here when part of the Sierra Nevada mountain range was sheared off and then sent northward by the San Andreas Fault activity.

Arroyo Seco sits almost dead center between the parallel Santa Lucia and Gabilan mountain ranges that funnel wind through the Salinas Valley, thus bringing intense winds and fog. The geology represents an ancient riverbed with layers of deposited boulders and gravelly loam soil, which Pico Blanco conveys.

WINEMAKING: Pico Blanco represents an early time of Monterey County grapegrowing when the region was originally recognized as a place for cool-climate grape varieties. With the historical significance and traditional style of winemaking that the Pisoni Family prefers, purity and complexity continues to be the focus. Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc are hand-sorted and carefully pressed to moderate the extraction and phenolics derived from the grape skins. 100% neutral barrels are used for fermentation to obtain purity of fruit and gain texture. Fermentation is carried out only by native yeast to uphold our philosophy of winemaking and also strive for the most complex flavors and fermentation. This wine was bottled without any fining.

TASTING NOTES: A harmonious blend of 85% Pinot Gris and 15% Pinot Blanc, the 2022 Lucy Pico Blanco is quite simply, delicious. Elegant aromas of fresh honeysuckle, white peach, and candied ginger become more pronounced as a backdrop of wet stone and fresh sea air give the impression this wine was procured from the Monterey coast itself. These two old-world varieties meld together seamlessly on the palate in a youthful and approachable manner, as flavors of crisp pear and candied pineapple are supported by chalky, yet supple texture and lingering finish.

The Pisoni Family has always been committed to making exceptional wines, and Lucy allows them to combine this passion with philanthropy. The Pisoni family donates one dollar of each Pico Blanco bottle sold to ocean conservancy efforts.