2005 Lucia (Saint-Emilion)

Lucia is one of the labels produced by Pisoni Vineyards. Pisoni Vineyards was first planted in 1982 by Gary Pisoni. The vineyards are at an altitude of 1,300 feet in the coastal Santa Lucia Range. The estate traces its roots to 1952, when Jane and Eddie Pisoni began farming vegetables in the Salinas Valley, evenutally earning enough for their son Gary to buy land for vineyards. Today Gary and his sons run the estate. Pisoni is known for its Pisoni Estate Pinot Noir made in small quantities of about 500 cases annually. Under the Lucia label the estate also produces Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Pisoni has a cult following for its wines, and Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that “Gary Pisoni, and of course, his vineyard, are respectively the rock star and the grand cru site of the Santa Lucia Highlands.”

Saint-Émilion is on the east side of the Dordogne River. At 13,400 acres it is one of Bordeaux’s largest appellations, and perhaps its most picturesque. It is also home to what has been called “the garagiste” movement of upstart, tradition-defying winemakers who produce artisanal wines in styles that are unconventional for the appellation. The village of Saint-Émilion dates from the middle ages and it sits on low hills, surrounded by ancient walls. Like its neighbor Pomerol, Saint-Émilion was not included in the famous Bordeaux classification system of 1855. But a century later a ranking system was put in place, and unlike the classification system for the Medoc, the Saint-Émilion system is reviewed every ten years, meaning that estates can be upgraded or downgraded. There are three rankings: Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Premier Grand Cru Classé A, with the final ranking being the best. Such legendary Saint-Émilion estates as Châteaux Ausone and Cheval-Blanc are Premier Grand Cru Classé A, along with Châteaux Pavie and Angélus, both added to the classification in 2012. Wines in this appellation are primarily Merlot, mixed with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Bortolussi is Chateau proprietor