"The 2009 Pinot Noir Pisoni is a big wine with powerful tannins that frame a core of dark, black fruit. Today it is the structural elements that dominate the wine’s balance, but this could merit a higher score if the fruit begins to emerge. My sense is that the new oak (65%) may be a bit on the high side. The Pisoni was made from four separate blocks and vinified with 20% whole clusters. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019. Gary Pisoni exudes a youthful, boyish enthusiasm that informs all of his projects. Today the Santa Lucia Highlands is a hotbed of activity that attracts the country’s most talented winemakers. It’s hard to imagine what exactly Pisoni saw in this corner of California mostly known for growing salad lettuce that convinced him to plant five acres of Pinot Noir in 1982. Today, grapes from the Pisoni vineyard are among the most highly sought in California and inform a number of superb wines, including Gary Pisoni’s own Pinot Noir." -Rated 91, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"Bright ruby-red. Deeply pitched aromas of cherry-cola and dark berries, with a strong kick of fresh flowers. Juicy and broad on entry, then tighter in the mid-palate, offering dense red and dark berry flavors and a late note of bitter chocolate. In a serious style, with strong finishing grip and building sweetness. Jeff Pisoni told me that his fruit showed the most extract ever attained here, "probably the result of four straight years of drought."" -Rated 90, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar