Tasting Notes For Some Cattleya Wines

By Tom Marquardt And Patrick Darr   

There are few family histories in the Santa Lucia Highlands as legendary as that of the Pisonis. Sure, we know of the Mondavi family that pioneered winemaking in Napa Valley, but in the Santa Lucia Highlands, the Pisoni family gives definition and legacy to pinot noir. Well-respected producers, such as Kosta Brown and Patz & Hall, use grapes from the Pisoni ranch.

The patriarch is Gary Pisoni, who planted grapes in this rugged and often unyielding area in 1982 — before Santa Lucia Highlands was declared a designated viticultural area. He had to drill several wells before finding good water for irrigation. But he persevered and turned out homemade wines when his two sons, Jeff and Mark, were playing in the hills. As the boys matured and we’re old enough to share wines from their father’s vast collection, the seed for a new winemaking generation was firmly planted.

Jeff studied enology at Fresno State University; Mark studied agricultural economics at the University of California at Davis.  They returned to the family farm and, together with their father, made the first Pisoni Estate Pinot Noir in 1998. Today, Jeff is the winemaker of Lucia by Pisoni wines; Mark is the vineyard manager of the vast Pisoni vineyards.

Then in 2011, Jeff married Bibiana Gonzalez Rave, a native of Colombia. Her wine path wasn’t already blazed by family. Her only exposure to wine was an occasional sip from her father’s glass, yet at 14, she caught the bug to make wine. Bibiana studied wine in France, earning two degrees in enology, and worked in nearly every French wine region before moving to the United States. After working several harvests in California, she founded Cattleya in 2012 and consulted for several renowned producers. In 2015, she was named “Winemaker of the Year” by the San Francisco Chronicle.

Today, the extended Pisoni team has gained wide recognition for its exquisite pinot noirs. We joined up with Jeff, Mark, and Bibiana in a recent virtual tasting.

Bibiana makes wine under two labels: Alma de Cattleya, everyday wines priced accordingly, and Cattleya, more premium wines. Cattleya is an orchid, the flower of her native Colombia.

The 2023 Sonoma County Alma de Cattleya Pinot Noir ($26) is aged in neutral barrels so there is little oak influence on what is an otherwise balanced and pure wine. The grapes come from coastal regions with a heavy dose of Russian River Valley fruit. It shows blackberry notes with hints of spice and herbs.

In contrast, the 2023 Cattleya Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($65) has more depth and character, with the grapes coming from two vineyards at an elevation between 1,000 and 1,300 feet. This wine sees more oak and thus is more complex and deeper. Plum and cherry play a bigger role in the flavor profile. Only 300 to 500 cases of this wine are made each year.

The Pisonis are meticulous in both the vineyard and the winery. Yields are low to extract the best juice from the grapes, and the team lets the grapes do the talking with little interference from the winemaker.

Jeff’s 2023 Lucia by Pisoni Estate Cuvee Pinot Noir ($55) comes mostly from the Pisoni Vineyard, with the balance coming from Gary’s Vineyard and Soberanes. It has effusive red fruit aromas with varietal black cherry and plum flavors.

The 2023 Lucia by Pisoni Gary’s Vineyard Pinot Noir ($80) is a very special wine. Planted in 1996, the vineyard overlooking the Salinas Valley is a partnership of childhood pals Gary Pisoni and Gary Franscioni. Located on a gentle slope, the grapes provide depth and richness with black cherry and strawberry compote flavors.

Cattleya and Lucia also make a small quantity of Syrah, a grape that attracted Bibiana’s interest when she was making wine in Côte-Rôtie. The 2023 Cattleya “The Initiation” Syrah ($70) has a lot of texture with generous and earthy blackberry and black cherry flavors, soft tannins, great acidity and impressive floral, blueberry aromas. This one, sourced from Pisoni’s four acres of syrah, should be cellared.

The 2023 Lucia by Pisoni Susan’s Hill Syrah ($80) is dense and tannic with good palate weight and dark berry, herbal notes.

These wines are made in small quantities but demonstrate the team’s love for the grape variety and what the rugged region has to offer.

More syrahs

Speaking of syrah, here are a few more delights we found for summer fare on the grill. The state of Washington is a leader in syrah.

Tsillan Cellars Estate Reserve Syrah Lake Chelan Washington 2022 ($52). Juicy blackberry, plum and black cherry notes with a dollop of spice and black pepper.

Gramercy Syrah Lagniappe Red Willow Vineyard Columbia Valley 2021 ($65). This Washington wine has some nice complexity with classic dark fruit and blackberry pie flavors. Hints of spice and earth with round tannins.

Boomtown Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2021 ($19). Soft, plush wine with ripe plum and blackberry flavors. Good value.

Materra Cunat Family Vineyards Oak Knoll District Syrah 2021 ($68). This Napa Valley syrah is an easy quaff with ripe plum, black pepper and blackberry flavors with a hint of spice. Soft tannins make it more accessible.

Wine picks

Rhys Vineyards Alpine Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir 2022 ($99). Located on a steep and rocky perch, Alpine Vineyard benefits from the cooling breezes from the Pacific Ocean that can be seen just 10 miles away.  The result of this climate is a bright and balanced pinot noir with red fruit flavors.

Eden Rift Estate Pinot Noir 2022 ($48). We raved about this producer’s estate chardonnay a few weeks ago. We also loved this elegant pinot noir from California’s Cienega Valley. Black cherry and pomegranate notes with a dash of vanilla, dried herbs and cinnamon.

J. Lohr Vineyards & Wine Riverstone Arroyo Secco Chardonnay 2023 ($25). This producer is a consistent maker of quality chardonnay for the price. The Riverstone shows off generous aromas with apple and citrus notes.

Laurel Glen Counterpoint Sonoma Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 ($65). Laurel Glen has been farming organically for 14 years, long before organic farming became popular. But you expect that from a winery that been around since the late 19^th century. The vineyard is on the east slope of Sonoma Mountain at an elevation of about 1,000 feet. It’s a cooler site and provides the right environment for natural acidity and freshness.  This wine, blended with 19 percent merlot, is full bodied and offers lively raspberry, coffee and floral aromas followed by boysenberry and cocoa powder flavors.