See. Swirl. Sniff. Sip. Savor.

Wine brings us to our senses.

Inside are some storage and serving tips to enhance the sensory experience of drinking our current release of Lucia Pi­not Noir, Lucia Chardonnay and Lucy Rose of Pinot Noir. Then take Gary Pisani's advice: "To learn about wine, you need to

drink it!"

Enhancing the Enjoyment of Your Wines

A proverb says, "It is well to remember that there are five reasons for drin king the arrival of a friend . one's present or future thirst the excellence of the wine: or any oth er reason. "

Often Gary Pisani 's "any other reason" is a party at Pisani Vineyards He loves being surrounded by family and friends-old and new- while sharing stories and conversation over a meal served in the cave . Leaning back in his heavy oak chair. the Sagittarius astrological sign carved into its back, he ra ises a glass to celebrate th ose gathered. Inevitably, threads of conversation turn to wine Certain questions crop up again and again Our answers t o the most commonly asked ones may help you best enjoy your wines

Q : How long do you store this wine in your cellar? A: "Not very long if it's in my cellar," Gary quickly replies.

We keep a lib rary of our wines. going back to our first releases. under lock and key-and as far away from the Pi­sani Vineyards visionary as possible As consumers. we look for wines that taste great upon release. are food friendly and have the ability to age for long term This philosophy extends to our winemaking practices .

Never underestimate the importance of proper storage. Every wine has a differ­ent aging potential Balanced wine. con­taining a harmonious blend of ta nnins and acids. tends to age the best We of­fer specific ce lla ring suggestions in the tasting notes of our Lu cia wines.

Like live t heatre productions of the same play, bottles of the same wine will never offer exactly the same experience at every open ing. Each tasting will be unique If you purchase more than one bottle of a specif ic wine. we recommend drinking one young and then allow ing the other to age Th e practice all ows you to deve lop your personal preference about how long to age various wine var ietals and vintages Some of our customers drink a ll their wines young, and some

won't touch the wines for five years. Personal preferences are the ultimate guide.

But we can offer some best practices for cellaring. First, and per­haps most importantly, know where your wine is coming from and that it was stored correctly before being sent to you.

Second, whether your storage area is an earthen-floor cellar, in­door cellar cooling unit or a hall closet, keep the temperature con­stant and cool, preferably at 55 degrees. The environment should be dark, with no direct sunlight or ultraviolet lighting.

Third, store the wine on its side so the cork remains wet, thereby avoiding a dried-out cork that could allow oxygen to pass through and spoil the wine. Our natural cork stoppers are very high qual­ity, and we work closely with our suppliers to ensure the corks are neutral and will not affect the wine's flavor profile, while allowing the red wines to age gracefully for decades.

Some wines are best-enjoyed young and may only benefit from short-term cellaring. Whereas we recommend that the 2009 Lu­cia Chardonnay can reserve a space in your cellar until 2013, the 2010 Lucy Rose of Pi not Noir should be consumed within a year.

Q: Do you any have wine serving t ips? A: "Most wines have a 'sweet spot'-a specific temperature,

decanting method and glass shape that brings all the flavors into balance," winemaker Jeff Pisoni says.

Jeff tastes wine at differ­ent temperatures, so you don't have to do so. A wine served too cold results in aromas that are closed in. If served too warm, the wine is thinner and shows the alcohol more.

His ruleofthumb: both red and white wines should be served slightly cooler than room temperature. We refer to this as the cellar temp (about 55 degrees), and the bottle should be

photo: M.J. Wickham

cool to the touch. If you want to bring a room-temperature wine down to cellar temp, simply place it in the fridge for 15-20 min­utes. Take it out and serve.

Decant ing, the pouring of wine into another vessel , allows the wine to have contact with air and open up. Jeff recommends decanting young red wines, as the air helps to open the nose and soften the tannins. If you don't have a decanter, simply pour a glass, place the cork back and leave the rest of the wine in the bottle for an hour or two. The wine in the bottle will have a headspace that provides almost as much exposure to air as decanting.

Very old wines with sediment should be decanted to avoid pour­ing the sediment into your glass. Because they are more delicate, they don't need extra aeration.

Gary prefers to drink wine from nice stemware, but he has enjoyed plenty of Pi not out of Dixie cups. When the family gathers at ma­triarch Jane Pisoni's home, we often grab small stemless glasses from her kitchen cupboard-the same 4-ounce ones from which her Swiss-Italian father drank his homemade reds. Regardless of practical or sentimental choices, the best glass should have a large bowl to concentrate the aromas of the wine and allow ample room for swirling.

Q: From where do wine flavors come and how can I best identify them?

A: "They start in the vineyard with the site, grapes and farming practices. These flavors are then released in the winemaking process," viticulturalist Mark Pisoni explains.

When Mark snips clusters photo: Richard Green

of Chardonnay grapes from Pisoni Vineyards and brings them to his nose, he doesn't smell the "floral notes and stone fruits with hints of granny smith apple, lemon meringue and brioche" described in our tasting notes. Nor does the fruit taste like "citrus oil and honeysuckle." Grapes smell and taste like grapes.

Mark's farming practices and the vineyard terroir contribute to the flavors, aromas and structure that will emerge when his younger brother transforms grape juice into bottled wine. During the wine­making and aging process, the fermented grapes develop addi­tional flavors that may be described with words such as "floral," "spice," "mineral" or "earthy" -or in more fanciful terms. The fruit of the vineyard has changed into a beverage offering complex, layered aromas and flavors.

The alchemy of wine conjures feelings and memories as readily as flavors and aromas. The scent of the 2010 Lucy Rose of Pi not Noir can remind one of picking a spring-flower bouquet-or the flavors may recall a particular lazy-day picnic, in which the blush­hued wine perfectly complemented the warmth of the midday sun. A wine's ability to evoke other experiences adds a powerful emotional component.

Each person's palate is unique, informed by the culture of one's birthplace and local taste preferences. Although effective tools exist for educating your palate, the most important question is simple: Do you like it? Discover and drink wines that you enjoy.

Q: Are there rules for pairing food and wine? A: "Our Pi not is so easy to drink, so approachable, that you

can drink it with meat, fish ... or in the bathtub," Gary insists.

Some pairings have be­come classics, like drink­ing Pinot Noir with duck or Chardonnay with grilled fish. Seasonal factors may also come into play, such as enjoying the bright fruit of a Rose during the sum­mer or being warmed by the spiciness of a Syrah on a blustery winter eve­ning. Our Lucia wines are both balanced and food

photo: Richard Green

f riendly. As Gary can attest, the wines are as approachable as he, and they can accompany a wide variety of dishes.

We hope these suggestions help you enjoy wine and its enduring appeal in the best possible way.

TASTING NOTES

2009 Lucia Pinot Noir, Garys' Vineyard

The 2009 Lucia Pi not N oir from the Carys' Vineyard has a remark­

ably complex nose. The combination of spicy fruits, lavender

and perfume aromas gives way to a sexy and intriguing wine that

continuously opens up. On the palate, the most striking character­

istics are the breadth and length of the wine. The tannins and fruit!

forest-floor flavor profile have a lasting weight that carries on for a

long time. As you drink this wine, pay close attention to the evolu­

tion of the flavors as the wine opens. Drink now through 2016.

2009 Lucia Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands

Dark ruby-red in color, the 2009 Lucia Pi not Noir, "SLH," is a

good representation of how we view the 2009 vintage: balanced

intensity A blend from the Carys' and Pisoni Vineyards, the Pi not

N oir offers an explosive bouquet of berry, spice, sage, clove and

tea leaf. The palate is powerful and full of dense tannins that will

give this wine promising age-ability. The nice acid, present in

many 2009s, provides the balance for this intense wine. Drink now

through 2015.

2009 Lucia Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands

Sourced from multiple blocks at Pisoni Vineyards, the 2009 Lucia

C hardonnay possesses a bright yellow-green color and a slight

haze from being bottled unfiltered. T he aromas are focused around

floral notes and stone fruits with hints of granny smith apple,

lemon meringue and brioche . Rich on that palate with flavors of

citrus oil and h oneysuckle, the finish is very long, and the fresh

acidity leaves one's mouth watering for another sip. Drink now

through 2013.

20 l 0 Lucy Rose of Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands

The 2010 Lucy Rose of Pi not N oir has the color of a near-ripe

strawberry, and its beautiful lifted aromas--a mix of red raspberry,

spring -flower bouquet, watermelon and orange blossoms- jump

out of the glass. T he mouth-feel is velvety and followed by soft­

yet-crisp acid. Strikingly complex for a Rose, the wine's e legance

and diverse flavor pro file will be a great match for many meals.

Serve chilled.

- Jeff Pisoni, Winemaker

uWine is made in the vineyardu

photo: Richard Green

Lucia Vineyards & Winery

P.O. Box 908, Gonzales, CA 93926 ph: 800.946.3130 1 fax: 831.675.2557 1 www.luciavineyards.com

Spring 2011 Copy: Susan Pisoni Tavernetti 1 Design: Erin Klaesius

Photography: Richard Green and Pisoni Family