Patz & Hall 2022 Pisoni Vineyard Pinot Noir 750ml

Pisoni Vineyard carries a reputation few California Pinot Noir sites can match — perched on a sandy mesa above the Salinas Valley near Gonzales, in Monterey County's Santa Lucia Highlands, it's widely considered the benchmark site for the entire AVA. Part of its mystique traces to a genuinely notable origin story: Total Wine's own account notes that vines for this world-famous vineyard were "borrowed" from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti by Gary Pisoni, tying this specific California hillside directly to Burgundy's most legendary estate. Patz & Hall has worked this site as part of a broader, nearly four-decade commitment to small, multigenerational grower partnerships across California's most celebrated Chardonnay and Pinot Noir regions.

The 2022 vintage arrived after a genuinely dramatic growing season: below-average winter rainfall was offset by heavy rains through March and April, before a sustained August heatwave accelerated ripening and compressed the harvest window. Patz & Hall's own team called the resulting wines "exceptional, with delightful fruit profiles, acid structures, and concentration" — a vintage that "captures the essence of terroir, promising wines that are vibrant, complex, and true to their vineyard origins." Pisoni's own 2022 expression holds true to the site's signature power: "big, bold, ripe and full-bodied — it is what enthusiasts have learned to love and come to expect from the site," with the winery noting this particular vintage carries "a particular sweet-fruited nature and silken tannin profile that turns the hedonistic dial to '11.'"

Production follows Patz & Hall's exacting, hands-on Pinot Noir philosophy: grapes are sorted first in the vineyard, then sorted again at the winery, with each lot fermented separately using multi-yeast fermentation — native yeast followed by cultured yeast — punched down three times daily, and kept 100% free-run to maximize the vineyard's unique expressiveness. Ten percent whole cluster was incorporated into this vintage, with full malolactic fermentation completed in barrel. The wine matures in 100% Burgundian French oak, 70% new, and is bottled entirely without filtration to preserve its aromatics and enhance its aging potential. Total Wine's tasting note on the broader Pisoni bottling found "a super nose of cherries and flowers, with layer after layer of flavors and aromas," closing "spicy, silky, suave, smooth." This is genuinely serious, powerful Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir from the site enthusiasts consistently point to first.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Patz & Hall has spent nearly forty years working with a carefully chosen set of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir growers across California's most celebrated wine regions, building what the winery describes as multigenerational partnerships rather than simple sourcing arrangements — relationships built on a shared commitment to growing and crafting wines that speak clearly of where they come from.

Pisoni Vineyard sits on a sandy mesa above the Salinas Valley near Gonzales, in Monterey County's Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, long considered the finest site in the appellation for Pinot Noir. The 2022 vintage endured a genuinely dramatic growing season: below-average winter rainfall, offset by heavy rains through March and April, followed by a sustained August heatwave that accelerated ripening and compressed the harvest. Grapes are sorted twice — first in the vineyard, then again at the winery — with each lot fermented separately using multi-yeast fermentation (native yeast followed by cultured yeast), punched down three times daily, and kept 100% free-run. This vintage incorporated 10% whole cluster, with full malolactic fermentation completed in barrel. The wine matures in 100% Burgundian French oak barrels, 70% new and 30% one-to-two years old, and is bottled entirely without filtration to preserve its aromatics and support long-term aging.

Critics Reviews

No specific numerical critic score is confirmed for this exact bottling at this time.

Patz & Hall (official vineyard & vintage notes):
"This justifiably famous site, long considered the best in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, produces wines that are enigmatically powerful, yet detailed, nuanced, and complex. With power to spare, this site tends to revel in opulent, large-scale versions of Pinot Noir. The 2022 Pisoni holds the line: big, bold, ripe and full-bodied; it is what enthusiasts have learned to love and come to expect from the site. This vintage has a particular sweet-fruited nature and silken tannin profile that turns the hedonistic dial to '11.' The 2022 vintage was remarkable, marked by a series of climatic challenges and triumphs. Below-average rainfall during the winter months was mitigated by the heavy rains in March and April. A sustained heatwave in August accelerated ripeness, leading to a compressed harvest. The 2022 wines are shaping up to be exceptional, with delightful fruit profiles, acid structures, and concentration."

Tasting Profile

Nose
A super nose of cherries and flowers, layered and complex, reflecting the site's naturally powerful, opulent character.

Palate
Big, bold, ripe, and full-bodied, with a distinctly sweet-fruited nature carrying through the mid-palate. Layer after layer of flavor and aroma unfold, framed by silken tannins.

Finish
Spicy, silky, and suave, closing smooth and long — a genuinely hedonistic, powerful finish characteristic of Pisoni's reputation as the Santa Lucia Highlands' benchmark site.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Roast duck or squab
• Grilled lamb
• Mushroom-forward dishes
• Aged hard cheeses