2022 Lucy Rosé of Pinot Noir

THE PLACE: Lucy Rosé is the Santa Lucia Highlands. Each acclaimed site from which this vibrant rosé is born represents a unique glimpse into the dynamic microclimates of this region. With varying proximities to the influence of the Monterey Bay and distinct differences in elevation, the resulting wine delivers unyielding freshness, vibrancy, and complexity—driven by cool ocean air, dense morning fog, and fierce afternoon winds.

Acting as a geographical funnel, the warmer, southern reaches of the Santa Lucia and Gabilan Mountain Ranges pull frigid ocean air inland, blanketing the Salinas Valley and cooling the granite-laden slopes of the Santa Lucia Highlands. This narrow appellation gets the brunt of this coastal wind, and provides beautiful east-sloping hillsides for the vines. To complement the cooling effects of the Pacific Ocean, 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.

WINEMAKING: Combining the use of whole cluster pressing with saignée of Pinot Noir allows us to create a more complex wine. This combination brings the light, crisp, and elegant character with minimal phenolics from gentle whole-cluster pressing and slightly more fullness from the saignée barrels. The Lucy Rosé is fermented then aged for only three months to retain the most fresh characteristics. We utilize barrels of at least a decade in age so they are truly “neutral.”  This heightens the texture while minimizing the flavor impact of the oak.

TASTING NOTES: If the Lucy Rosé of Pinot Noir offers any preview into the quality of the coming wines for a given vintage, rest assured that 2022 will certainly be a vintage to remember. Sporting shades of melon, salmon, and coral that are classic for a Lucy Rosé, this beautiful offering packs unyielding aromatic intensity as it chills and condensates on the sides of the glass.  Delicate at first with notes of fresh strawberry and subtle, mineral driven undertones, this wine begins to offer complexities seldom seen in rosé as it opens up in the glass. Plush notes of peach blossom and watermelon waft into the air, as the first sips offer citrus-driven flavors of tangerine and orange peel, backed by tart raspberry and rose petal. Brief but impactful aging in 100% neutral French oak barrels offer an added layer of texture that pairs seamlessly with fresh acidity.

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 bottle sold to Breast Cancer Research. Since inception, over $200,000 has been raised for this cause.